Tony Mowbray has urged Albion to avoid another hard luck story when they take on Villa in Saturday’s lunchtime derby.

The Baggies manager knows Albion must not end the Villa Park showdown ruing another missed opportunity, like those that undermined the first half of their Premier League season.

Mowbray said: “What is important is that we go to Villa and do well. We’re at a stage, looking back at the first half of the season, where we have had a lot of hard luck stories.

“We don’t want too many more hard luck stories. We’ve got to go there, make life difficult for them and try to get a result.

“We don’t want to be sitting after the game saying ‘how did we lose that?”

Albion take on a Villa side who have emerged as contenders for a Champions League place, as the latest step of their progression under Martin O’Neill.

But Mowbray feels Albion’s local rivals still face a tough fight to take Arsenal’s berth among the top flight’s ‘big four.’

He said: “Trying to finish above a club like Arsenal is no easy task. Arsene Wenger has a few key injury problems which can only help Villa’s cause.

“But Villa also have their own injury problems, so it will be interesting to see how it pans out. They are having a great season and doing whatever it takes to win matches. They get results and good luck to them.

“Martin has discovered a winning formula wherever he’s been and deserves great credit.

“If you look at his Leicester and Celtic teams and his emerging Villa team, they all have good wide players, big centre-forwards, strong centre-halves and experienced midfield players.

“He’s done great to nurture Gabby Agbonlahor through. I’m not sure how much he played before Martin came in.

“He spent around £9million on his left winger, big money on his right-winger plus £10million on a centre-half. He puts the pieces of his jigsaw together and he’s got a team that is moving in the right direction.

“I’ve heard him say he would like a deeper squad. I think he’s only used 18 players and keeps going back to the well with them. But there are benefits of having a smaller squad, because it creates togetherness.

“He’s doing very well.”