West Bromwich Albion have been handed a potential injury blow regarding the return to fitness of Alex Mowatt.

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According to Steve Madeley's recent report for The Athletic, the central midfielder, who missed the club's 3-0 win over Bristol City on Saturday as well as the 2-0 defeat to Swansea City last Wednesday as a result of a toe injury picked up against Birmingham City, could be ruled out once again for the Baggies' trip to Fulham this Saturday.

Ismael would be gutted

Considering just how impressive Mowatt has been for West Brom since making the move to The Hawthorns this summer, should the 26-year-old indeed be ruled out of what could arguably be Albion's biggest game of the season this weekend, it would undoubtedly leave Valerien Ismael gutted.

Indeed, over his 12 Championship appearances so far this season, the £6.3m-rated man has scored three goals, registered one assist and created two big chances for his teammates, as well as taking an average of one shot and making 1.4 key passes per game.

The former England U20 midfielder has also impressed in metrics more typical of his position, making an average of 1.9 interceptions, 1.9 tackles and winning 5.3 duels per game.

These returns have seen the player who Steve Evans dubbed a "special" talent average a SofaScore match rating of 7.19, ranking him as West Brom's joint second-best performer in the league.

As such, should Ismael be without the 26-year-old for the top of the table clash against Fulham on Saturday, it would very much appear to reduce Albion's chances of picking up a positive result at Craven Cottage - something that could well mark the beginning of the end for West Brom's title hopes come next May, having already drifted away from top-spot AFC Bournemouth.

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