Bilic backing Baggies to be top dogs
BRENTFORD V WEST BROM 7.45PM, SKY SPORTS
SLAVEN BILIC says he is confident his West Brom side are good enough to plant their flag at the Championship summit.
Bilic’s men go to Brentford tonight to start a pivotal weekend in the scrap to get promoted.
Leaders Albion tackle the Bees, who are fourth, while tomorrow second-placed Leeds entertain Fulham, the side immediately behind them.
Bilic said: “The negative thing about being first or second is there’s an element of people wondering, ‘Are Leeds and us going to bottle it?’ That applies to Fulham and Brentford too, but they are more hoping that happens.
“But they would rather be in our position.
“Is it difficult? Of course it’s difficult. But there’s an old Chinese proverb that says, ‘The sun is hottest at the very top of the mountain, but also the wind is strongest’.
“You can crumble, but if you’re together as a squad that’s a big thing. I wouldn’t swap with any one of our contenders.
“We are not big-time Charlies. We are confident but we are humble. But we are No1 and, for the whole season, we have been No1 or No2.
“That’s not because we are some kind of wild cards, it’s because week in, week out, we’ve done it.
“It’s a massive game and then Leeds play Fulham, wow.We have to just concentrate on ourselves. This game is bigger than the other one.
“It’s more than a three-point game.”
Bees boss Thomas Frank will include Bryan Mbeumo just days after he recovered from coronavirus. Frank said: “He’s well and will be part of the squad.”