Roberto Di Matteo has told his Albion players the fight for first-team places is still on after seeing them continue their impressive pre-season at Shrewsbury.

The Baggies won 2-0 last night with a second pre-season goal from Luke Moore and a Robert Koren strike.

Despite a preferred line-up beginning to emerge for the Head Coach, the Italian insists players can still change his mind ahead of the Championship opener against Newcastle.

Di Matteo said: “I have a rough idea but I don’t know the whole team yet. I am still experimenting a bit and looking at players.

“The results don’t matter. It is more about what the players do on the pitch and how the units work together.

“I am pleased with the clean sheet, that’s always nice, but the result is not important.

“We are working towards having everyone fit for the start of the season and we should have one or two more back for the next game on Saturday.”

Moore’s performance was again the story of the night as the much-maligned former Villa man capped a bright display with another goal.

He was even handed the captain’s armband for the second half.

Di Matteo said: “Let’s hope he doesn’t peak too early. But I am pleased with everyone. They have put a lot of effort into pre-season and Luke has been brilliant so far.”

Albion dominated most of the game and had chances for several more goals, but there was plenty to please Di Matteo.

Jonas Olsson again looked influential at the heart of defence, Youssouf Mulumbu’s impressive form continued in a defensive midfield role and Robert Koren made a welcome first start of pre-season after a knee problem.

Albion were close to snatching the opening goal as early as the fifth minute, when Koren and Jonathan Greening worked a smart short corner routine.

Greening’s cross found the stooping Olsson, whose header was tipped onto the crossbar by keeper Andreas Arestidou and cleared by Kelvin Langmead.

The Shrews goalkeeper then made a smart low save from Moore, before the Baggies almost claimed a well-constructed opening goal.

Koren dummied then collected Moore’s return pass, before seeing his low drive blocked by Arestidou.

Shrewsbury attacked on the break through Lewis Neal, but his cross flew harmlessly beyond the far post.

On 15 minutes Albion’s superiority brought them the opening goal, laid on by Koren but scored virtually on his own by Moore.

The striker collected the ball on the edge of the box, turned Langmead and struck a left-footed shot into the bottom corner.

Albion goalkeeper Scott Carson produced a smart diving save to keep out a long-range Jake Robinson effort, but the away side continued to dominate.

Eleven minutes from half-time, the Baggies doubled their lead in fortunate fashion.

Chris Brunt connected poorly with a long-range effort but his scuffed shot spun into the path of Koren, who prodded home from close range.

Koren should have added another two minutes later, when he exchanged passes with Moore, but dragged his shot just wide.

A smart ball from Craig Beattie found Moore in the final minute of the first half, but his low shot went wide of the far post.

The second half began with Moore donning the armband in place of the substituted Greening.

Both he and substitute Filipe Teixeira saw long-range shots drift wide early on.

Langmead made a vital challenge on Moore after a fine ball from half-time substitute Leon Barnett, before Beattie skipped around Graham Coughlan on the edge of the box, only to see his shot deflect wide off Langmead.

Beattie and Koren then combined to tee-up Moore, but he blasted his shot well wide.

An awful spell of inactivity ended when Arestidou inexplicably picked up a back pass on the edge of his own area, but Beattie clipped the resultant free-kick wide of the target.

Mulumbu then put Albion in trouble, when he was caught in possession 20 yards from his own goal.

Jake Robinson squared for Omar Riza but he showed too much of the ball to defender Gianni Zuiverloon, who snuffed out the danger.

The game began to peter out in the closing stages but Albion went close to a third goal at the end of a crisp passing move, in which Moore and Teixeira were heavily involved.

The final cross from Dwayne Samuels found fellow substitute Chris Wood, but his shot on the turn flashed just wide.

Wood then blasted into the side netting from a difficult angle moments later, after racing onto Kim Do-Heon’s raking pass.