West Bromwich Albion manager Alan Pardew has suggested that the club’s survival hopes are very much alive despite dropping eight points adrift of 17th-placed Southampton. The Baggies have lost their last five Premier League games, but Pardew remains hopeful of beating the drop by an example from Leicester City’s book.
Back in the 2014/15 season, the Foxes were facing the prospect of relegation at the first time of calling, but they managed to survive after winning seven of their last nine Premier League matches. Eventually, they finished six points ahead of the relegation places, and they went on to historically win the top-flight title under Claudio Ranieri in the season which followed.
Speaking in Friday’s press conference, the 56-year-old stressed that the Baggies have to show a similar character on the field in order to stage their own great escape, he said:”It’s an example to us. The parallels are there, to be in the same position Leicester were, a point better off and everyone writing us off. You guys (the media) are writing us off, everyone is. We don’t think that, and it’s very important for us to show what we’ve got.”
The west Midlands side have tasted just a solitary victory since Pardew’s arrival in late November, and things must change for them in the coming games, if they are to stand any chance of survival. The Baggies have with pride maintained their top-flight status for the past seven seasons, but a loss to Leicester City this weekend could have a detrimental effect on any possible comeback.
Meanwhile, Pardew provided an injury update on his squad, where he appeared to confirm that club captain Jonny Evans could miss the Foxes game through illness. Welsh striker Hal Robson-Kanu, however, is back in contention after shaking off a hamstring problem.