West Brom buoyed by positive injury news regarding key defender
West Brom have been handed a potential boost ahead of their trip to Stoke City - as the race for the Championship play-offs hots up.
Cedric Kipre, who was out of the first team picture heading into this season, has featured in 38 games in the league campaign.
Alongside Kyle Bartley and for a period, Erik Pieters, Kipre has been the mainstay at the back for an Albion side that has conceded just 39 goals all season.
But they had to do without the defender for Easter Monday's 2-2 draw with Watford - after he was forced off with a shoulder injury in the draw on Good Friday at Millwall.
Carlos Corberan revealed last week that club's medical staff were waiting to give news on Kipre's situation.
And now the Baggies boss has confirmed that Kipre could have faced Watford on Monday - but due to still having pain in his shoulder the club decided against risking him.
Kipre has been back in training this week and the Baggies boss has a 'lot of confidence' that Kipre will be available for selection at Stoke City on Saturday.
He explained: "Cedric Kipre still had pain in his shoulder when we played against Watford on Easter Monday.
“With an injection, he probably could have played, but it made no sense because he still would’ve had pain even with the injection.
“It was better to reduce the pain and the inflammation and to stabalise the shoulder.
“He has been training well with the group and that gives us a lot of confidence in terms of his availability for Saturday’s game at Stoke City.”
Kipre was replaced against Watford by Semi Ajayi, who came in for his first start for Albion during the calendar year, after spending the early part of 2024 at the African Cup of Nations.
