Team news

Olsson opposed sacking of Di Matteo West Brom defender Jonas Olsson admits he was not in favour of the sacking of Roberto Di Matteo as manager ahead of Saturday's meeting with his current club Chelsea.

But the Sweden international concedes that Albion and the Blues have both enjoyed success in the 21 months since Di Matteo left the Hawthorns.

Di Matteo has led Chelsea to Champions League and FA Cup glory while the Baggies have become established in the Barclays Premier League under Roy Hodgson and now former Chelsea coach Steve Clarke.

Olsson, part of the Swedish side which defeated England in mid-week, told Press Association Sport: "I rate Roberto Di Matteo very highly.

"I was very clear when the club sacked him that I wasn't (in favour of it). I really enjoyed working with him.

"He is a good coach and I really connected with him as a person as well. But everything happens for a reason I guess and, for him, it turned out very good and, for us, it turned out well.

"We got Roy Hodgson as manager and really pushed on from there and Roberto went to Chelsea and had a fantastic career there.

"It will be good to see him but, when it is game time, we will be looking to keep going and keep doing what we've been doing this season." Goalkeeper Boaz Myhill will again deputise for Ben Foster, who is recovering from groin surgery.

Albion are sweating over the fitness of defender Gareth McAuley, who suffered a hamstring injury playing for Northern Ireland against Azerbaijan, with Gabriel Tamas on stand-by to deputise.

But they are more hopeful midfielder Youssouf Mulumbu will be fit after a hamstring injury led to him withdrawing from midweek action with Congo.

On-loan Chelsea striker Romelu Lukaku is ineligible to face his parent club.

The Blues received a boost on Friday when Di Matteo announced defender John Terry would only be out for "approximately three weeks".

The European champions allayed fears their captain had suffered a serious knee injury in Sunday's Barclays Premier League draw with Liverpool when they confirmed on Monday he would be out for weeks rather than months. And with Chelsea having further assessed Terry over the past four days, Di Matteo had even better news to report.

"With JT, we're looking at approximately three weeks," he said.

"Fortunately, it's not as bad as we first thought." Ashley Cole could return after missing the last two matches with a hamstring injury.

West Brom vs Chelsea

Last modified 17:23 17/11/12

Baggies stun Blues West Brom striker Peter Odemwingie made it a miserable return to The Hawthorns for Chelsea manager Roberto Di Matteo with a second-half winner in a 2-1 victory to stun the Champions League holders.

The Nigeria international headed home a cross from Shane Long whose opening goal had been cancelled out by Eden Hazard.

It condemned Di Matteo, who spent two years as Albion boss, and his side to a first away Barclays Premier League defeat of the campaign.

But his former club, managed by ex-Chelsea number two Steve Clarke, are dreaming of Europe after registering a sixth win in seven home games.

The Blues dominated for long periods territorially with Victor Moses and Daniel Sturridge causing problems.

But they found keeper Boaz Myhill, who was deputising for the injured Ben Foster, in inspired form with several crucial saves.

Chelsea clearly missed the physical presence at the back of injured skipper John Terry who will be sidelined for three weeks with a knee injury.

Long and Odemwingie fully capitalised on the absence of the former England defender as they punished some slack defending.

Long appeared on a one-man mission to honour his grandmother who died on Friday with another superb performance.

The Republic of Ireland international revealed a T-shirt which said 'RIP Nan' after scoring the opening goal.

Chelsea dominated possession in the early stages and Ryan Bertrand came close to putting them ahead after eight minutes.

Moses made a powerful run to the byline and squared the ball back across the danger area to Bertrand whose low left-footed drive was cleared off the line by Liam Ridgewell.

But 60 seconds later the Baggies took the lead via their first worthwhile attack.

Zoltan Gera played the ball back to James Morrison whose floated cross picked out Long who got in behind David Luiz to head home from close range.

It was the Republic of Ireland international's sixth goal of the campaign.

Chelsea tried to retaliate and John Obi Mikel's low 30-yard drive was only just off target with Myhill scrambling across his line.

Myhill then got his body behind a swerving first time attempt from Sturridge.

Albion were at their most threatening on the counter-attack and Long, under pressure from Gary Cahill, had a shot saved by Petr Cech after attacking a cross from Billy Jones.

Long was then just off target with a curling drive after he had shaken off the challenge of Cahill.

But after 38 minutes Hazard levelled for the Blues with his fourth goal of the season.

He attacked Cesar Azpilicueta's deep cross and was able to squeeze the ball past Myhill at the far post with a powerful header.

Chelsea continued to dominate possession and Moses fired over after being teed up by Cahill.

But Odemwingie restored Albion's lead five minutes into the second half.

This time Long was the creator with a cross to the near post and the Nigeria international got in front of Bertrand to glance his header past Cech for his fourth goal of the campaign.

Di Matteo made a double change with the ineffective Fernando Torres and Oriol Romeu making way for Juan Mata and Oscar respectively.

Myhill made a fine save to turn aside Sturridge's close range flick after Mata's ball had opened up the West Brom defence.

He then went down to cling on to Hazard's deflected shot as Chelsea delivered wave after wave of attacks.