Matt Phillips is making progress towards returning from ankle injury and he could make the bench for West Brom’s clash against QPR on Tuesday night, according to Express & Star journalist Matt Wilson.
The reporter claimed on the Express & Star website that Phillips, 27, has had “quite a bad ankle injury” but there was hope of him returning against Aston Villa on Saturday.
The Scotland international must have failed a late fitness test for the 2-0 win over Dean Smith’s side, but there is now a chance that he could be in the squad that travels to Loftus Road to play against his former side on Tuesday.
“Darren Moore said on Friday that he was facing a late fitness test for Saturday so hopefully soon,” said Wilson on the Express & Star website [28:30 onwards].
“I think if it was tomorrow night [Tuesday] it would be bench at best because he’s had so long out.
“It was apparently quite a bad ankle injury but they’ve always said February and now we’re coming towards the end of February so I would hope to see him soon.”
OPINION
Phillips has been one of the best players at West Brom this season and it is no shock that their form has suffered while the attacker has been on the sidelines. Phillip’s last game for Albion came against Blackburn on New Year’s Day and since then the Baggies have won three out of six Championship fixtures, failing to secure maximum points in every home game. Phillips could be the man to pick locks of defences that have been willing to sit back against West Brom on their visits to The Hawthorns, so him returning as soon as possible is massive. The former QPR attacker has made 23 appearances in all competitions this season, scoring five goals and supplying six assists in the process. He has played as a right-sided wing-back, on the right-wing and as a central attacking midfield. As soon as he is back, you can guarantee Albion’s form will improve.