Albion boss Roberto Di Matteo reckons there is only one fixture fans might not automatically expect to win this season.

The head coach is working hard to caution a Hawthorns crowd against over-expectation after the team’s impressive return to dominant form and the five-goal thrashing of Watford in their previous home game.

He said: “The expectations are we should win pretty much every game. If we lose one at the Hawthorns, then people don’t expect it. Maybe the only game we are expected to lose is at Newcastle, where if we lose that people will say ‘it’s OK because it’s Newcastle away.’

“But we have to be realistic. It’s a tough league and shows with the table.”

The reason for Di Matteo’s caution amid his team’s splendid recent form is the nature of the beast facing them tomorrow.

Backed by 3,000 raucous followers, Bristol City come to the Hawthorns as the Championship team boasting the least number of defeats and right in the thick of the promotion challenge.

In fact, for Gary Johnson’s team, this game is a watershed moment. Defeat would leave them eight points adrift of Albion, victory would bring them within two.

That kind of swing against a team now thoroughly well-versed in the gruelling basics of Championship football makes this a dangerous game for Di Matteo as he senses expectation rising again after such impressive recent form.

He said: “At the start of the season, I mentioned them as one of the teams that would be up there. They have only lost two games in the league and they don’t concede too many goals.

“They are difficult to beat and I think that’s their philosophy – it reflects in their results. So it won’t be easy. They defend well and are solid. But we have home advantage and are in good form.”

Particularly at the back, where a settled consistency has brought out the best in keeper Scott Carson as well as the powerful central defenders in front of him, Jonas Olsson and Abdoulaye Meite.

One goal conceded in the last three games – and that in the dying seconds at Leicester – has given Albion the solid look they have been seeking to back up the team’s goalscoring capabilities and captain Carson is the first to admit he is revelling in the defensive security.

He said: “I think a settled defence has probably been the key for us. We had some injuries last season and early this year so perhaps it wasn’t right.

“But lately it’s been better and when you’ve got the same players in front of you then you do tend to develop an understanding and know what they’re going to do. Perhaps because the Premier League is more taxing, people do tend to capitalise on any mistakes and those errors are highlighted more.

“The gaffer has stuck with the same five, including myself, and it’s going well. We know that we will always create so it’s a case of defending well.

“We’re West Brom and everyone wants to beat us in this division. Away fans always give us a slating and we want to show people we’re together. We dominated at Leicester where I don’t think the scoreline reflected the game.

“It made it look closer than it was.”

But City are coming with real intent and a dogged tenacity that will require the best from Di Matteo’s still-evolving line-up.

Although being confined to a draw at Nottingham Forest in their previous match saw them drop out of of the top six, they are now unbeaten in their last seven matches and trail third-placed Cardiff City by a point.

Midfielder Marvin Elliott, a one-time Baggies and Wolves target, insists the Hawthorns trip holds no fears for a side who have already come away from Newcastle with a point this season.

He said: “There’s no reason to be scared of West Brom. We went to Newcastle and got a point and showed we can match the best teams in this division.

“You can’t afford to go anywhere and be afraid in the Championship. We’ll respect West Brom but we won’t fear them. That would be the wrong attitude to go into the game with.

“We’ll get our foot on the ball, pass it, play our own game and try to take it to them. No-one is invincible and we’re going there full of confidence after the run we’ve been on. We’re unbeaten in seven games and we believe in ourselves.”