West Brom are desperate to try and clinch a promotion from the Championship this season and while the window will provide them with the chance to add to their ranks, they'll have to spend the next three games without two of their most important players as reported by Steve Madeley of The Athletic.

The Baggies have looked bright and exciting at times and part of the reason has come down to the performances of Sam Johnstone and Alex Mowatt. The former has been one of the best shot-stoppers in the entire league this campaign and has even been called up to his national side, while Mowatt was snapped up from Barnsley and has impressed.

Both players are already vital to the club - but they'll have to go without them over the next few games, with the club not appealing for either of their red cards.

Johnstone picked a red card up deep into stoppage time in their game against Cardiff and it means he will now miss the club's next three games against Brighton (in the cup) QPR and Peterborough. That will provide their opposition with an advantage, as he will likely be replaced by David Button who has only played once this campaign.

In that tie, he conceded two to Bournemouth - and they'll be hoping that he fares slightly better in these games.

Mowatt picked up his red slightly earlier in the tie and he too will not have his dismissal appealed. That means that one of the Baggies most creative outlets will have to sit on the sidelines and while it could provide a chance for another player to step in and impress, they will have to try and find that creative spark from elsewhere in his absence.

The Verdict

Sam Johnstone and Alex Mowatt both missing out on West Brom's next three games will be a blow.

A good cup run for the Baggies could lift the spirits of some West Brom fans but without Johnstone in goal - who could certainly compete at Premier League level - they may struggle a lot more. Against QPR they also come up against a team with play-off ambitions and it won't be easy to take points from them.

To do so, they will need as many of their creative outlets as possible to create chances, likewise for against Peterborough. Whilst they will still have Daryl Dike and Callum Robinson as just two examples of expressive forwards, Mowatt's absence in the centre of the field will certainly be felt.

If they can cope well without them though, then it will be a boost upon their return as they will then have a very strong side that can take on all comers and challenge for a play-off or automatic spot in the second half of the season.