Connor Goldson is facing another spell on the Albion bench - due to the form of his big dressing room buddies.

The defender took centre stage with his first goal since heart surgery in the FA Cup win against Coventry.

Normal service will be resumed for Goldson back at the Amex in the Premier League against Swansea on Saturday.

He will return to his regular role among the replacements as Lewis Dunk (below) and Shane Duffy try to help the team to a key win in the fight to avoid relegation.

The Argus: One of them would love to repeat Goldson's goal against Coventry, a header from a corner.

Dunk and Duffy have both gone close to scoring in similar circumstances on several occasions this season without finding the net.

Goldson will be willing them on. They are invariably pictured arriving together and chatting to each other before games. They have become Albion's Three Amigos.

Goldson told The Argus: "We are all really close. I'm not a bitter kind of person. I am realistic to know they have both done well now for a good 18 months.

"I am close to both of them. Everyone knows how close me and Dunky are and Shane's become one of the three. He's a big Irishman, silly and scared of everything! But he's a good guy.

"It's just for me to bide my time, wait, keep working hard and when ever you get opportunities, whether it's in the League or the Cup, you need to be ready to take your chance.

"There's obviously always people watching, whether that's training or games. You need to be ready."

Goldson could easily have been playing for Ipswich at the weekend in their local derby against Norwich, rather than Albion.

Desperate for game time after surgery on an enlarged aorta ruled him out of last season's promotion run-in, he was on the brink of moving to Portman Road on loan at the end of the summer transfer window.

The deal collapsed when Goldson's intended replacement, Dutchman Stefano Denswil, was prevented by Brugge from completing his loan move to the Amex because of an injury to a team-mate at the Belgian club.

The Argus: Instead Goldson was left kicking his heels until just before Christmas, when Duffy (above) was suspended for collecting five cautions and he made a solid Premier League debut in the 1-0 home win against Watford.

Duffy was back alongside Dunk against Chelsea at Stamford Bridge on Boxing Day. Goldson joined them in the reverse fixture the following month but two early goals left Albion chasing the game.

They eventually lost 4-0, the manner of the defeat making it difficult to assess manager Chris Hughton's three-at-the-back experiment.

Goldson is philosophical about the different course the campaign would have taken for him if he had gone to Ipswich.

He said: "I had signed the deal. It was just up to this club to sign it off. Obviously it never happened. I was gutted at the time. Everything happens for a reason.

"I have made my Premier League debut at 25 years-old, played a few games. We're having a good Cup run and we'll see what the rest of the season brings."