West Brom give caretaker Richard Beale a pleasant problem

No Baggies player deserves to come out of the starting line-up that began Saturday’s return to winning ways at Reading.

But interim boss Beale, set to be in the hot-seat at The Hawthorns for the first time having taken the reins from Steve Bruce, must assess whether his XI have it within them to ‘go again’ against the Robins, who are 17th, this evening.

Saturday’s 2-0 win in Berkshire was Albion’s best all-round team display of the season. A low bar, yes, given the team’s desperate position in the table, but very much a step forward under Beale’s coaching and leadership.

There are options, too, in reserve. John Swift was billed as a key summer signing. He was a regular until Bruce’s final game and, while benched again at former club Reading, will be itching to make his stamp on the side and push for a recall. Tom Rogic, the recent free agent signing, arrived behind his team-mates in terms of fitness and was left behind in the Black Country as Albion returned to winning ways.

Both are attack-minded central midfield players and, interestingly, it remains to be seen where and how they quite fit into this 3-4-3 formation that has worked well in the last two games.

“All the players are in the melting pot, if you like,” Beale explained. “There was nobody last week that got themselves out of the starting XI or squad, I mean that.

“I said to the boys on Thursday and repeated it on Friday, I need to leave people out and it’s the hardest thing. I said if you’re not involved then please be ready to go on Tuesday because we’re going to need everybody at this time.

“When an old manager goes, it can be a real testing time, it can be tough, we need everyone pulling together.

“I’ve no doubt the boys that were left behind were raring to go in training to prove a point and go again on Tuesday.

“They have already shown me what they are about and there’s no issues with any of them. It’s just that you can only pick 11 starters and seven subs. They are all good lads and come into the thinking.”

Starting and performing with same intensity four days later may not sound like a big ask but for some it could be a big ask.

Skipper Jake Livermore, for example, has excelled in a slightly more reserved part of late. The midfielder has been in excellent form over the last month after a slow start to the season.

It is clear, due to advancing years, Livermore may struggle to play regular three-game weeks. His engine and game could suffer for it. We have seen, when playing Saturday-Saturday, Livermore has been a very positive influence.

Ditto new recruit defender Martin Kelly, and Erik Pieters too. In Kelly’s case, three 90 minutes in 10 days after not starting league football in more than two years. It has been a big effort for those.