CHRIS LAKEY Robert Earnshaw is looking forward to making his first return to The Hawthorns since an ignominious exit 10 months ago.

CHRIS LAKEY

Robert Earnshaw is looking forward to making his first return to The Hawthorns since an ignominious exit 10 months ago.

The Canaries striker cut a forlorn figure on the subs bench as he became increasingly sidelined by then manager Bryan Robson. Such was his frustration that he demanded a move - and when his intentions became clear, former City manager Nigel Worthington jumped at the chance, concluding the deal on the night City were playing a Championship fixture at Reading.

One look at Earnshaw's scoring record for both clubs suggest that one manager got it wrong and one got it right: the Welshman hit a dozen goals in 22 starts for the Baggies and has managed 18 in 28 for Norwich.

Suggest to Earnshaw that he has a point to prove this afternoon, and sees it slightly differently.

"That I can still have some fun down there, that's the only thing," he laughs.

"I am looking forward to it and to playing against one of my mates down there, Curtis Davies who I speak to quite a bit, so that will be enjoyable."

On a more serious note, Earnshaw knows just how tough it will be.

"They have done well," he said. "The first six games or so they were struggling a little bit, but probably after that I think they have been flying. They have been playing good football going forward. That's what they like down there, they want their team to keep going forward and keep attacking so it won't change on Saturday."

Earnshaw at least knows what City will be up against in terms of West Brom's personnel.

"They have got some very good players going forward from the wings, people like Zoltan Gera who, if you see him in training, is unbelievable, and obviously Jason Koumas. They have some good players it is kust whether we can sort them out on Saturday and we start attacking and play our game.

"The manager's saying to us that we have to go and win every game so that's what we are going to try and do."