Lescott builds up to Baggies bow

08 September 2014 14:01

Joleon Lescott will be given a chance to prove his West Brom fitness as he eyes a Baggies debut against Everton.

The defender is yet to feature in the Barclays Premier League for Albion after suffering a knee injury in pre-season but is in line to play against Hull in an under-21 friendly on Tuesday.

Lescott, who moved on a free after leaving Manchester City in the summer, could be joined by fellow new boys Cristian Gamboa, Silvestre Varela and Sebastian Blanco who all lack fitness.

A return would be a huge boost ahead of the Baggies' home game with Everton on Saturday after centre-back Gareth McAuley limped out of Northern Ireland's 2-1 win in Hungary on Sunday.

"We've got an under-21 friendly here on Tuesday and I would love to be able to play players in that game who need to play. Ideally I would want to be including all of them," head coach Alan Irvine told the club's official site.

"It is scheduled as an under-21 friendly but I think with Hull's five signings on deadline day and us trying to get players bedded in, I would think it will end up being a game for a whole load of players that Steve (Bruce, Hull manager) doesn't know very well and I don't know very well.

"It's fairly star-studded but they need it, several have not done a pre-season. There's a lot of players who need training and games and also get to need to get to know one other."

Georgios Samaras may also play after he lasted 45 minutes of Greece's 1-0 Euro 2016 qualifier defeat to Romania on Sunday and James Morrison, who played in Scotland's 2-1 loss to Germany as he continued his recovery from a knee injury, is pencilled in.

Source: PA