Swansea City will defend their 100% start to the Premier League season on Saturday afternoon when they host a West Bromwich Albion side who have drawn all three of their games under new manager Alan Irvine.

The Welsh outfit are alongside some of England's elite at the top of the table with six points from two games.

Garry Monk's side followed up victories over Manchester United and Burnley by avoiding a Capital One Cup upset at the hands of Championship new boys Rotherham United on Tuesday evening.

Albion also secured passage into the third round of the competition, but not so convincingly. They needed penalties to overcome League Two Oxford United at The Hawthorns after conceding a late equaliser.

The Baggies remain unbeaten since Irvine's surprise appointment in the summer, picking up a good point at Southampton last week, and they may have found themselves in an even better position had their concentration not lapsed in the final minutes of their 2-2 opening-day draw with Sunderland.

Joleon Lescott's introduction in defence will shore West Brom up, but the former England international is still short of match fitness and therefore Craig Dawson will be retained at the Liberty Stadium.

Jonas Olsson should return to partner him at centre-half after being rested in midweek, while shootout hero Jason Davidson may keep his place at left-back, with Sebastien Pocognoli nursing a groin strain.

There are also doubts over the fitness of Victor Anichebe and therefore club-record signing Brown Ideye, who missed his spot kick against the Millers, may still be handed a first Premier League start.

His fellow new arrivals Cristian Gamboa, Silvestre Varela and Georgios Samaras will likely be substitutes, with Craig Gardner expected to keep his place in midfield and Saido Berahino in good early-season form.

Albion have brought in more players than any other top-flight team this summer (10), but Swansea have done some good business themselves and some of their new boys were impressive in midweek outings.

Bafetimbi Gomis scored in the 1-0 victory, while £8m defender Federico Fernandez and Tottenham Hotspur loanee Tom Carroll also shone, but Monk is likely to revert to the same XI that beat Burnley last weekend.

That means starts for Ki Sung-yeung, who signed a new four-year contract with the club this week, and Nathan Dyer, who celebrated his 100th Premier League appearance for the Swans with the winning goal against the Clarets. Leon Britton and Marvin Emnes are the home side's only senior absentees.

The last 12 meetings between these sides span across three different divisions and have only witnessed one draw.

Recent form

Swansea: WWW

West Brom: DDD

Possible starting lineups

Swansea: Fabianski; Rangel, Williams, Amat, Taylor; Ki, Shelvey; Routledge, Sigurdsson, Dyer; Bony

West Brom: Foster; Wisdom, Dawson, Olsson, Davidson; Dorrans, Gardner, Mulumbu, Brunt; Berahino, Ideye

Sports Mole says: 1-0