Team news

Monk back for Swans Swansea boss Paulo Sousa will welcome captain Garry Monk back to the first-team fold against high-flying West Brom.

Monk has recovered from a calf injury and is in contention to make the squad, with Sousa further boosted by the return of Nathan Dyer (ankle).

Shefki Kuqi could be restored to the starting XI after being rested as a pre-caution due to an ankle injury in Saturday's 0-0 draw with Sheffield Wednesday, meaning Craig Beattie may drop to the bench for the visit of his former club.

Sousa has other attacking options in the form of Lee Trundle, Guillem Bauza and Gorka Pintado, who returns after serving a four-game ban.

City still have a crowded treatment table to contend with, however, as Andrea Orlandi and Albert Serran remain out with hamstring injuries.

Ferrie Bodde and Joe Allen are sidelined with knee troubles and Ferrie Bodde (calf) will play no part.

West Brom will be without Roman Bednar and Steven Reid for the trip.

Striker Bednar recovered from a groin problem to make a second-half substitute appearance against Blackpool on Saturday but has then picked up a thigh injury in training on Monday and is back in the treatment room.

Versatile on-loan man Reid sustained a groin injury in the 3-2 triumph at the weekend and also misses out, while winger Jerome Thomas has failed to recover from his hamstring injury.

Ishmael Miller scored against Pool in what was his first start for 15 months but he was later replaced by Bednar due to a hamstring problem of his own, but he is hopeful of being available.

Fellow forward Luke Moore may also overcomes illness in time to be involved at the Liberty Stadium but Gonzalo Jara (broken metatarsal) remains out for the rest of the season.

Swansea vs West Brom

Last modified 22:02 16/03/10

Baggies keep pressure on leaders Graham Dorrans' second-half penalty and Ishmael Miller's late strike helped West Brom keep the heat on leaders Newcastle and put further daylight between themselves and third-placed Nottingham Forest with a 2-0 win at Swansea.

Scotland midfielder Dorrans crashed home from the 12-yard mark after Angel Rangel's debatable foul on Giles Barnes 11 minutes from the end, to liven up what had been a dour affair, before Miller finished things off.

Both sides spent most of the game exchanging neat passing moves, all of which were without any genuine outcome, so it was fitting that the deadlock was broken by a set-piece.

That paved the way for Dorrans to create a clincher for Miller as the Baggies moved eight points clear of Forest.

After a disappointing draw at home to Sheffield Wednesday at the weekend, Swansea boss Paulo Sousa made four changes to his starting line-up and it was one of the new faces, captain Garry Monk, who spurned the first chance when he glanced a header wide from a free-kick.

Nathan Dyer, another to return to the fray, then curled an effort just wide from the edge of the area as Swansea pressed.

Mark Gower rattled a drive away from goal for the Swans as they continued to probe, but despite both sides impressing in possession, the fact that they were both playing with five midfielders made genuine chances hard to come by.

That was a point further illustrated just before the break when Rangel barely worked Scott Carson, his strike just the fifth of the opening half.

Baggies striker Luke Moore registered his side's first shot minutes into the second half and forced a smart, low save from Dorus de Dries, but the lack of opportunities being created by either side was almost painful to witness.

Swansea's Alan Tate attempted to liven things up with a speculative strike from 25 yards that did little to worry Carson, while the former England stopper was also on hand to field Dyer's hit.

West Brom began to gradually wake up, though, and Gabriel Tamas flicked a header wide as a statement of their intent.

It served as notice for their goal, too, with Dorrans slamming home from the spot.

The home side questioned referee Roger East's decision to award the kick after Rangel and Barnes came together in the box, but it mattered little to Dorrans as he tucked away his 15th goal of the season.