The Black Country derby, a historic football rivalry between Wolverhampton Wanderers (Wolves) and West Bromwich Albion (Albion), is set to return as a league match for the first time in over five years. Fans at Molineux, Wolves' home ground, had not seen a derby since 2012, when Albion defeated Wolves 5-1 in a match that marked the end of Wolves' manager Mick McCarthy's tenure. The rivalry, which dates back to December 1888, has a rich history, with Wolves winning their first league derby that year. Before that, Albion had won their initial two derby encounters in the FA Cup in 1886 and 1887. Over the years, the derby has produced many memorable moments. Steve Bull scored his first derby goal in 1989, Iwan Roberts netted a hat-trick in 1996, and George Ndah scored twice in 2001. Albion has also had its share of iconic moments, including Darren Bradley's 35-yard goal in 1993 and Carlos Vela's injury-time equalizer in 2011. The 2012 derby remains a pivotal moment in the rivalry, as it led to Wolves' relegation that season and marked the end of McCarthy's managerial career. Since then, both clubs have spent different amounts of time in the top flight, with Wolves enjoying eight seasons in the Premier League compared to Albion's seven. In the 138-year history of the derby, Albion holds a slight advantage with 55 league wins to Wolves' 52. However, in the 21st century, Albion has had the upper hand, winning 10 of the 18 league and cup derbies played since the turn of the millennium. The most recent meeting between the teams was in January 2024, when Albion won 2-0 in the FA Cup fourth round. Unfortunately, the match was marred by fan misconduct, prompting both clubs to issue a joint statement urging supporters to keep the rivalry respectful and friendly. West Bromwich Albion manager James Morrison has taken a unique approach in preparing his team for the derby, involving a club historian to provide context and insight into the rivalry. Morrison has also hinted that he expects Wolves' striker Raul Jimenez to be on the field, despite Wolves' manager Cesar Peixoto initially ruling him out due to a knee injury. Peixoto later confirmed the injury is genuine and urged his players to play with passion and composure. Wolves, currently three points behind Albion in the Championship table and with a game in hand, previously faced a dramatic derby draw against Birmingham City, where an own goal led to a 2-2 result. For Morrison, this will be his first Black Country derby as a head coach, though he has previously played in five derbies, including the infamous 5-1 defeat in 2012.