Albion boss Steve Coppell is hoping the heavens keep on opening just enough for the players to prove again they are muddy marvels.

He is desperate for tomorrow's Withdean showdown against Wimbledon to go ahead, despite persistent rain.

The Withdean pitch is vastly improved this season after extensive drainage improvements but it is bound to cut up. Coppell believes that will benefit Albion as they bid for a first home win in five.

"I think the pitch being bad was an advantage in the last two seasons because you looked at it, walked out and thought oh ****," Coppell said.

"Now the pitch is good and you are playing against better quality players who want to play on good pitches.

"A comment was made that the two home games we have won (Bradford and Derby) were on a really heavy pitch when it was chucking it down.

"It could well be the more uncomfortable the atmosphere the more uncomfortable it is for First Division players who are used to playing in terrific stadiums on great surfaces.

"I hate to say it, but when I was at Palace we used to train on Saturday morning on the pitch. Teams like Manchester United wanted it nice and flat, like a bowling green. We trained on it and it was bobbling all over the place, but so be it."

Albion seem sure to be without Shoreham-born midfielder Simon Rodger for the second match running. The swelling has not gone down much on his broken toe and he is having another scan.

Coppell is still concerned about Michel Kuipers. The Dutch keeper played last Saturday against Burnley with a recurrence of thigh trouble, sustained in the first half at Norwich on Boxing Day.

Kuipers was stiff and sore on Sunday and physio Malcom Stuart thinks the problem is back related.

"It's not the injury he had before, but it's in the area and Malcolm thinks if he kicks continuously on it then he is going to do it again, which would leave us really exposed," Coppell said.

"In many ways I may be forced into doing something even though to all intents and purposes he is still fit. We can get away with the goalkicks but we can't get away with the backpasses and that is an inevitable part of the game now.

"If on every backpass the opposition know it's not going to get far that is a big plus for them and if our defence know they have got to do everything possible not to backpass then that is also an advantage to the opposition, so I've got to weigh that up very carefully."

A proposed run-out for Paul Kitson, who returned to the bench against Burnley, and Dean Blackwell in a friendly at Brentford yesterday was rained off.

Wimbledon have not tasted victory for three matches after winning six of the previous eight, but the 28-goal partnership of David Connolly and Neil Shipperley is the most prolific in the First Division.

All the latest from the camp at thisisthealbion.co.uk