West Brom need a result on Saturday in order to secure a place inside the top six
Carlos Corberan’s side is in danger of dropping out of the top six after three consecutive losses.
Norwich City has jumped ahead of the Baggies following losses to Leicester City, Sunderland, and Sheffield Wednesday.
The deficit to seventh position Hull City is now only two points behind, but their better goal difference suggests that a point against the Lilywhites this weekend will be enough to secure a play-off spot.
Albion have been in the top six in the standings for quite some time, so dropping out would be a significant drop from where they were only a month ago.
Patel has delivered a public rallying cry for his West Brom team before of their match against Preston on Saturday.
He has emphasised that the club’s fate is in their own hands, and that everyone must rally behind them this weekend to assist Corberan’s side win.
“We all wanted Saturday to be simpler,” Patel stated on his personal Twitter account.
“Still, after 45 mad matches in this league [West Brom] remain the keepers of our fate.”
“The way to our ultimate aim remains in our hands, through our Fortress, vs our players, and with the support of our fans.
“We have all we need to fulfil our dreams.”
Patel is West Brom’s newest chairman, having taken over the club at the beginning of 2024.
The US-based investor will be eager to watch his team compete for promotion to the Premier League, especially as a return to the top tier this season would undoubtedly be ahead of schedule.
The club was in a difficult financial situation prior to Patel’s arrival as owner, but Corberan still had the team punching above its weight.
The Spaniard has earned a lot of praise for his work at the Hawthorns over the last 18 or so months, guiding the club to a ninth place finish last year.
Qualifying for the play-offs this year would be a clear step forward for the 41-year-old, who previously led Huddersfield Town to the play-off final in 2022.
A draw against Preston on Saturday should be enough to seal sixth place, but a victory gives them the best chance at retaking fifth ahead of Norwich, who are only one point ahead going into the final round of fixtures.
Even if West Brom finish in the top six, as they should, this has not been the finest preparation.
They have lost their edge in recent weeks, scoring only one goal in their last three games.
Corberan will face a difficult task in re-energizing his squad for the crucial next three weeks.
The gap between fifth and sixth place is small because there are no easy games in the play-offs, but it is nevertheless a psychological blow to have lost form right before a long stretch of games.
