Grayson predicts open game

Blackpool manager Simon Grayson is predicting a Championship cracker at Bloomfield Road with both his side and Albion having eyes only for victory.

Grayson reckons both teams will go all-out for three points at Bloomfield Road, leading to a wide open clash at the seaside.

And the Tangerines boss has become the latest rival manager to lavish praise on the Baggies squad.

“I think they have the best squad in the division,” said Grayson. “They have plenty of back-up and can rotate the squad at any time.”They have a lot of strikers and some good wide players who pass the ball ever so well.

“They have a good energy to their side and it is no coincidence that everyone thinks they are the best footballing side in the division. We gave them a decent game at the Hawthorns and could quite easily have won that game.

“We lost to a wonder goal from James Morrison. Times have moved on from then.

“We’re in a position where we need to kick on and they are in a position where they need to win to get to an automatic promotion spot so it has all the ingredients of being a good game.”

Grayson’s side have lost just three times in 20 matches on home turf this season, compounding the pundits who tipped them for relegation following their rise from League One.

They now stand on the brink of survival while Albion know, after Stoke’s defeat to Crystal Palace last night, victory would take them to the top of the Championship.

And Grayson reckons he and opposite number Tony Mowbray share similar football beliefs.

“Look at their results and it shows they are a very attack-minded team,” said former Villa player Grayson.

“They get people forward, get crosses in and get runners from midfield.

“They sometimes leave themselves a little bit exposed at the back but that’s the way Tony Mowbray plays.

“He wants to play entertaining football and score goals. It’s similar to my philosophy - I want us to play like that.

“As a group they have got far better players than us on paper and the money that they’ve spent is bigger. But it has all the ingredients to be an entertaining game.”