Albion players return to training today as preparation begins for another assault on a testing run of Championship fixtures.

Head coach James Morrison afforded his players not involved in international duty the weekend and first three days of this week off following an intense run of fixtures.

There are eight members of the Baggies’ first-team ranks away with their countries. Other players not involved with their nations have taken the chance to return home.

Morrison has also planned an in-house friendly to keep players’ fitness levels ticking over during the period without a game. Albion return at Swansea as fifth visits sixth on Saturday week.

It is thought his senior troops will face off against a youth side, most likely Leigh Downing’s under-21s, who are not in action until Friday week.

Neither Mikey Johnston or Toby Collyer, who have had spells out injured, are expected to play in that training game. Both are nearing a return to training.

During the previous international break between September and October, which spanned an unusually extended three weeks, Albion faced off against an unnamed opponent in a behind-closed-doors fixture.

Morrison revealed in that clash he used experienced left-back Conor Townsend as a centre-back, a position Townsend has played sparingly in his long career.

Townsend, 33, is one of Albion’s back-ups at centre-back, after the three ‘natural’ options of George Campbell, Chris Mepham and Nat Phillips. Club captain Campbell is currently sidelined with a minor hamstring injury.

Midfielder Ousmane Diakite can also drop in as an emergency defender, but Albion would be reluctant to lose his sizeable presence in midfield.

“He can,” Morrison said of Townsend, whose league starts came against QPR and Wolves after his summer return from Ipswich. “We played it when we had the behind-closed-doors friendly in the last international break.

“It might be something I do in this international break when we have an in-house game. It’s important I keep Conor lively.

“He didn’t do anything wrong. He just found himself behind a top player in Callum Styles. Conor’s been great, honestly, really good. How he trains and is around the lads, his positivity. When he’s needed he’ll be there.”