ANDY Thomson looks set to play alongside Kevin Francis in United's attack at West Brom tomorrow, following Dean Windass's move to Bradford.

The only other option for Malcolm Shotton, assuming he is unable to sign a loan replacement before today's 5pm deadline, would be to use Matt Murphy up front.

Shotton's main fitness concern was whether Paul Powell had recovered from an ankle injury he picked up in training on Tuesday, which kept him out of the midweek match at QPR.

If Powell fails a fitness test, Christophe Remy is likely to continue at left back.

Tomorrow is United's first visit to The Hawthorns since Denis Smith took over as Albion manager.

One of the players who followed him and Malcolm Crosby to West Brom, winger Mark Angel, is rated doubtful after being stretchered off when he shaped to shoot and kicked the back of a Stockport defender's leg.

Smith made five changes for the Stockport match on Tuesday and their 3-1 win suggests the new line-up might be the way forward.

Lee Hughes is by some way Albion's leading scorer, with 31 goals. Joint second top scorers are Kevin Kilbane and Fabian Defreitas . . . with five!

Story date: Saturday 06 March

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