No fear at Albion for Chris Brunt

Albion captain Chris Brunt has hailed boss Roy Hodgson for restoring the Baggies' 'no fear' approach to the Premier League.

The Baggies are unbeaten in five matches under Hodgson and defeated Liverpool at the Hawthorns on Saturday.

And Brunt believes the impressive start under the new head coach has set the side up well for the final seven matches of the season.

He said: "We have known all season that our run-in will be tough, but with the way we're playing at home at the moment we're confident about taking anybody on.

"And we have picked up quite a few points on the road recently so I don't think we fear anybody.

"We know going to Sunderland on Saturday is going to be difficult but, with the way we're playing and the organisation we've got, we have a chance of winning any game in the run-in."

Brunt believes confidence in the camp is edging closer to early-season levels, when a positive approach propelled the Baggies to a flying start under Roberto Di Matteo.

But the winger reckons the recent resurgence under Hodgson is built on stronger foundations.

He said: "At the start of the season we were sort of free spirits. We were just playing football and things were coming off, and when things starting going wrong we didn't really counteract it.

"But now we know we're solid behind the ball when we don't have it.

"We have shown at times this season we can play football alongside the best teams in the league and that showed again on Saturday."

Hodgson's first five matches have brought nine points for the Baggies, who had been slipping towards the relegation zone in the final weeks of Di Matteo's reign.

And defender Nicky Shorey today paid tribute to Hodgson for changing the team's approach towards defending.

Shorey said: "There are slightly different things that he wants compared to others but it's more about a mentality, and not just for the defenders but for everyone to defend as a whole team.

"We start from the front in terms of where we want to show teams and it's about getting that mentality into all the players rather than just the defenders. It's just down to hard work on the training pitch.

"That's what the gaffer is all about and I have worked with him before."