West Brom manager Darren Moore has confirmed that Kieran Gibbs is a major doubt for the clash against Ipswich Town this weekend.
The England international missed the thrashing at the hands of Leeds United on Friday, having been a mainstay in the starting XI this season.
Having missed just his fourth Championship game of the season against the Whites, Moore admitted it was touch and go as to whether he would miss his fifth on Saturday, rating his chances as 50/50.
He told the Baggies’ official website: “Gibbo is slightly different and we will have to keep an eye on him throughout the week. He has a slight hip problem. Hopefully he can make good progress but at the minute I’d have to rate him 50/50.
“We’d obviously like all our players available to us but this is football and it’s always better to be cautious with a player when they have a knock.”
Opinion
You cannot put a defeat down to one player but there is little questioning that Gibbs’ absence on Friday night played a big part in the manner in which the Baggies were beaten by Leeds. As such, it is a blow to hear that he might well be missing again against Ipswich, although the Tractor Boys are unlikely to pose as great a threat as Marcelo Bielsa’s men as they look to battle the threat of relegation from the Championship. You can see how important Gibbs is to Moore and his plans with the vast amount of games the former Arsenal man has played and his quality down the flanks has been crucial in his side’s attacking moves. Without him, they are weakened not only in defence but in the final third of the pitch and so the sooner that he gets back into the side, the better for everyone at the Hawthorns. Will that be this weekend? It does not look likely.