West Brom manager Ryan Mason hopes his touchline ban at Stoke City on Saturday will galvanise his squad to defeat the Championship table-toppers.

Both Albion and Stoke enter the fixture with perfect records after three matches, but while the home side have secured maximum points to lead the division, Albion were held by Portsmouth in their most recent outing and occupy fourth.

Mason will be barred from the dugout for the 12.30pm encounter following his sending-off during the 1-1 stalemate with Pompey at the Hawthorns, though he downplayed the impact during Friday's pre-match media briefing.

He told the Albion club website: "I'll miss being on the touchline and I wish it wasn't the case. It's happened and it's something I have to accept and move on.

"The touchline ban I have will bring

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