Albion striker Ishmael Miller has laid down the gauntlet to potential January signings by insisting he will not give up his place easily.

The young Baggies hitman insisted he would welcome the challenge from new faces – and meet it head on.

Manager Tony Mowbray is determined to strengthen his team in the transfer window, with extra firepower at the top of his shopping list.

Miller insists he would welcome the extra competition – but would back himself to fend it off.

He said: “If you look at any team or squad in the Premier League, they are all looking to strengthen. If there is someone who can make us better and stronger then we should be looking to bring him in.

“The more players we have the more competition it will provide and that will be better for all of us. It will give us a better chance of staying up.

But obviously you want to play and be in the manager’s thoughts and I feel I am and I know I need to play as well as I can so I stay there.”

Miller has backed both himself and strike partner Roman Bednar to put up a fight against any newcomers.

The former Manchester City youngster said: “People have said we’ve not been scoring enough goals but we could have scored a few more. I could have scored more, Roman could have scored more but I feel every team misses chances.

“None of the teams around us are scoring many. If you get a chance you need to try and make it count.

“The ‘one-nilers’ are the ones winning games and they are crucial. To get another striker would be great. It would add competition and make me a better player because I’ve got a learning still to do.

“Obviously scoring goals would help keep me in the team but it’s also about creating goals and I think myself and Roman can co that.”