23 January 2026
he managerial merry-go-round often spins with dizzying speed in the Championship, but for West Bromwich Albion, the ride has been less of a thrill and more of a nausea-inducing descent. Tonight at Pride Park, the Baggies face a Derby County side aiming for the play-offs, while West Brom’s new head coach, Eric Ramsay, desperately searches for his first points to halt a slide toward the relegation zone.
Ramsay, appointed just under two weeks ago to replace Ryan Mason, has endured a baptism of fire. The 34-year-old’s tenure began with a narrow 3-2 home defeat to high-flying Middlesbrough, a result that offered glimpses of promise. However, any optimism was brutally extinguished on Tuesday night when fellow strugglers Norwich City arrived at The Hawthorns and departed with a resounding 5-0 victory. That demolition left West Brom languishing in 19th place, just points above the drop zone, and extended their losing streak in the league to four matches.
In stark contrast, the mood in the East Midlands is buoyant. John Eustace has Derby County sitting comfortably in 10th, and his side enters tonight’s clash on the back of consecutive away victories. The Rams followed up a disciplined 1-0 win at Preston with a gritty 2-1 triumph over Charlton Athletic on Tuesday. Eustace has instilled a resilience in his squad that West Brom currently lacks, though he will be forced to reshuffle his backline tonight after defender Matt Clarke was sent off late in the game at The Valley.
For West Brom, the injury list adds further complications to Ramsay’s tactical headache. Midfielder Ousmane Diakité remains sidelined, limiting the options to protect a defense that has leaked eight goals in Ramsay’s first two games. The manager’s immediate priority must be to stop the bleeding; another heavy defeat could turn fan patience—already frayed by the previous regime—into open revolt.
Tonight’s narrative is clear: a rookie manager fighting for survival against an experienced hand eyeing the top six. If Ramsay cannot find a way to plug the gaps exposed by Norwich, John Eustace’s Derby will be more than happy to give the merry-go-round another spin, leaving West Brom facing a long, anxious winter.
Kick-off is at 20:00 GMT at Pride Park.