Midfield is the centre of attention for Baggies boss

SLAVEN Bilic has backed himself to “find a solution” to West Brom’s dilemma in central midfield.

Albion will be without everpresent linchpins Jake Livermore and Romaine Sawyers for their next match, the visit of Sheffield Wednesday on November 23.

Both will serve a one-match suspension after collecting a fifth caution in the 1-0 win over Hull that maintained West Brom’s two-point lead at the top of the Championship.

While Bilic admitted it was a blow to lose the pair, who have formed a formidable alliance as Albion’s two holding midfielders, the Croatian is confident they CAN be replaced.

“We will find a solution for the Sheffield Wednesday game,” he said. “Both players have been instrumental for us from the start of the season. They are leaders. We have a good squad though.

“We have guys who always come on from the bench and do really well. It’s not ideal we are missing both of them but at least we have plenty of time to think about what we want to do.”

Chris Brunt, Rekeem Harper, Filip Krovinovic and Gareth Barry could all fill the void, though the latter is short on match fitness after a lengthy lay-off with a knee injury.

Livermore’s stunning firsthalf strike against former club Hull set Albion on the way to a third successive away win.

The Baggies have lost only once on the road and have picked up four more points on their travels than any other Championship side.

Defender Darnell Furlong, who made his 14th West Brom appearance in the KCOM victory, pinned the brilliant away form on the players’ personality and an unwavering desire not to play up to the stereotype of a visiting team.

“Sometimes you come away from home and you get dragged into how other teams want to play,” he said. “We came out on top and we took our chance when we needed to.

“The boys are sticking together and riding it out. No one gets too ahead of themselves after or during the game. It’s a nice result to take into the international break.

“We like to control games and at home we can do that because it’s almost at our pace and teams kind of let us play.

“Against different opposition at different grounds sometimes we get sucked into how they want to play and we have to match that. To match it and come away from the win is very strong.”