The Blues’ game against West Bromwich Albion remains 0-0 at half-time.

Town made two changes from the team which won 2-1 at Charlton on Wednesday with Cedric Kipre, one of three former Baggies players in the Town side and four in the squad, returning to the XI at the centre of the defence with Jacob Greaves moving to left-back and Ben Johnson to the bench with Leif Davis still out with his hamstring issue.

In the attack, Jack Clarke replaced Jaden Philogene, who was also among the subs with Wes Burns back in the squad following his calf injury and Sindre Walle Egeli missing out on a place in the 20.

West Brom, who went into the game needing a point to confirm safety following yesterday’s two-point deduction, made one change from the team which beat Watford 3-0 at home in midweek with Aune Heggebo coming in for Josh Maja.

Albion created the first chance in the second minute from a throw on the right, Jayson Molumby crossing and Nat Phillips looping a header well over.

Town began to see most of the ball and in the eighth minute Greaves took a pass down on his chest, beating his man as he did so, before firing a low ball across the West Brom box but with no one able to get on it.

A minute later, the former Hull City man was played into dangerous area by Clarke, another cross making its way to the back of the box without finding a Town player.

On 10, after an Albion break, Isaac Price struck a shot from just outside the area which deflected off one of his own players and behind.

The Blues were continuing to see most of the ball with most of the game in the home side’s half, but on 12 Price was found on the left of the Town area by Heggebo, however, the Northern Irish international’s shot scuffed through to Christian Walton.

Albion began to see most of the ball and in the 19th minute Ousmane Diakite unleashed a shot from 25 yards which was too close to Walton, who claimed not entirely comfortably.

Diakite dropped to the turf immediately and received treatment, but was eventually OK to continue, while the rest of the players went to the touchline for drinks on a hot afternoon.

The Baggies should have taken the lead in the 23rd minute when Greaves nodded a deep cross from the left down to Kipre, who hesitated and allowed Daryl Dike onto the ball. However, Walton was quickly off his line to block.

The Ivorian international was shown the game’s first yellow card in the 27th minute for a foul on Diakite, although he had appeared to have won the ball. Walton did well to punch the resultant free-kick clear.

Two minutes later, Azon chased a ball into space on the right and lifted the ball over keeper Max O’Leary, who had advanced out of his area, but without finding either a teammate or the net.

As the game reached the half-hour mark, another of Town’s former Albion players, Darnell Furlong, booed by his former fans like his fellow ex-Baggies, was found in space but his shot deflected off a teammate and wide.

West Brom created a decent opportunity a minute later, Danny Imray crossing from the right and Phillips heading powerfully straight at Walton, who claimed confidently.

Town were next to threaten with their best chance of the half. Greaves looped a deep cross to the far post where Kasey McAteer mishit his volley across the face to Ivan Azon, who sent the ball over the bar from a few yards when he should have found the target, the Spaniard showing his frustration at not having done so.

On 36, a looping Albion cross from deep on the left flashed across the Town area but beyond Dike at the far post.

Four minutes later, from the game’s first corner, Dara O’Shea, another former Baggies defender, headed Clarke’s ball in from the right into O’Leary’s arms from the edge of the area.

Albion will feel they ought to have gone in front in the 42nd minute when Heggebo fired wide from around 12 yards after a Dike shot from the right had deflected into the area.

Moments later, Baggies skipper Alex Mowatt struck an effort from distance which Walton saved down to his right.

That was the last action of a half which in terms of possession and spells in control had been even, but with Albion having had the better of the chances and Walton the busier of the two keepers.

The Baggies will feel they should have taken one of their opportunities with Dike, Heggebo and Price all having had chances they will feel they should have converted.

For Town, the one really clear chance was Azon’s from McAteer’s scuffed volley with little other than that to test O’Leary.

The Blues will be happy to go in with the game 0-0 at the break and will need to show more going forward in the second half with the subs once again almost certainly having a big role to play.

West Brom: O’Leary, Imray, Campbell, Phillips, Styles, Molumby, Mowatt (c), Diakite, Price, Dike, Heggebo. Subs: Griffiths, Gilchrist, Taylor, Jimoh-Aloba, Bostock, Bany, Grant, Maja, Sule.

Town: Walton, Furlong, O’Shea (c), Kipre, Greaves, Matusiwa, Taylor, McAteer, Mehmeti, Clarke, Azon. Subs: Palmer, Neil, Burns, Hirst, Philogene, Cajuste, Johnson, Akpom, Nunez. Referee: Matt Donohue (Manchester).

Photo: Matchday Images