It is back to reality for FA Cup semi-finalists West Bromwich Albion and Cardiff City as they return to Championship action.

West Bromwich v Crystal Palace

West Brom are waiting on the fitness of Carl Hoefkens as they prepare to return to Championship action at home to Crystal Palace.

Hoefkens missed Sunday's thumping 5-1 FA Cup win at Bristol Rovers - a result which secured them a dream semi-final at Wembley against Portsmouth - with a hamstring injury and is facing a race against time to face Neil Warnock's Eagles side in the Championship clash at The Hawthorns.

Felipe Teixeira is awaiting results of a scan on his knee and is certain to miss the rest of the season.

Kevin Phillips netted after coming off the bench at the Memorial Stadium and will be pushing to start alongside Ishmael Miller, who plundered a classy hat-trick against the Pirates to cement his burgeoning reputation.

Mark Hudson is waiting to see if he will get a place in the Palace. The Eagles captain was left out of Saturday's 2-1 Championship home win over Colchester after talks over a new contract stalled, and boss Neil Warnock was due to speak to the defender again early this week.

Youngster Lee Hills replaced Hudson in the starting line-up, with Clint Hill moving from left-back into the centre.

Teenagers Victor Moses, Ashley Robinson and Sean Scannell will all hope to figure again at The Hawthorns.

Winger Paul Ifill remains a doubt with another hamstring problem while midfielders Neil Danns (groin) and Mark Kennedy (Achilles) are struggling for fitness.

Shefki Kuqi has yet to figure since being dumped on the transfer list by Warnock last month and has been told he is free to find a new club.

Cardiff City v Hull City

Cardiff boss Dave Jones is likely to choose from an unchanged squad for the visit of Hull to Ninian Park.

The Bluebirds put in one of their best performances in recent memory on Sunday by sweeping aside Premier League Middlesbrough at the Riverside Stadium to reach the FA Cup semi-finals and Jones could stick with the same side.

Winger Joe Ledley will again be missing with the hamstring problem which has ruled him out since hobbling off at Coventry last month.

Jones could hand a recall to fit-again midfielder Riccardo Scimeca, who was left out of the 16-man squad to face Boro after making only his first start of the season in the previous game against Crystal Palace.

Darcy Blake, Trevor Sinclair and Steven Thompson staked their claims as second-half substitutes on Teesside and will hope to have done enough to earn a starting berth this time around.

Long-term absentees Robbie Fowler (hip) and Warren Feeney (ankle) will again be sidelined.

Hull boss Phil Brown could also name an unchanged line-up after the Tigers swept Scunthorpe aside at the weekend by a 2-0 scoreline to move into sixth in the league table, and they have no new injury or suspension worries.

They will again be without suspended duo Caleb Folan and Jay-Jay Okocha, who serve the second of respective three-game bans for their red cards in last week's win over Burnley.

City are unlikely to be able to call on Dean Windass (knee) although the veteran frontman is closing in on a return to fitness.

The game is certain to come too soon for midfielder Nick Barmby (groin) but Bryan Hughes (knee) could return to the squad.

TeamTalk / Eurosport