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Chris Brunt: West Brom duo hold key to survival

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Former captain Chris Brunt admits the form and fitness of Saido Berahino and Brown Ideye could determine whether Albion stay in the Premier League. more

Brunt reckons the Baggies will have 'a great chance' of survival if they keep their new strike duo fit and firing.

Ideye scored four times in three games before Saturday's goalless draw at Sunderland, wiping away memories of a nightmare first six months at The Hawthorns, while Berahino is the Baggies' 16-goal leading scorer.

"With the threats we've got from set-pieces and with Saido and Brown looking dangerous over the last few weeks we are always in with a chance of winning games," said Brunt.

"That's how it's panned out in the last few games and hopefully that will continue

"The gaffer came in and we've all seen that with a change in manager things happen.

"Things have just clicked for Brown over the last couple of weeks and, fair-play to him, he has taken his chances well.

"He is working hard for the team and that's the main thing and he will get his benefits from that.

"Saido is Saido - he's a fantastic finisher and the gaffer gets on his case and gets him working hard for the team.

"He's a fantastic talent and we've seen that over the last couple of weeks."

Albion have lost just once in nine games since the arrival of Tony Pulis, keeping six clean sheets in the process.

And Brunt, who has slotted in at left-back in the last three games, believes tight defending has become the bedrock of the Baggies' bid to avoid relegation.

"It's a results-based game and before Christmas we hadn't been doing too well," said Brunt.

"The club made the change and there are plenty of us who have been here through X-amount of changes now over the last two or three seasons.

"It boils down to what we do on the pitch and we haven't been good enough there.

"But over the last two or three weeks we've done a lot better for each other and defensively we haven't been conceding goals.

"No matter how badly you play in a game or however badly things are going for you, you are always in with a chance when you don't concede goals."