Tony Pulis: It's not all down to Guus Hiddink

Boss Tony Pulis has questioned Guus Hiddink's impact at Chelsea and launched a defence of Jose Mourinho – as Albion prepare to take on the resurgent champions.

The West Londoners, who host the Baggies tomorrow night, are unbeaten in five games since drafting Hiddink in as interim boss.

It came after Mourinho's sacking last month following a dire run of results, but Pulis reckons crediting Hiddink with the subsequent improvement is disrespectful to the former Blues chief.

Bristling at suggestions the Dutchman has made Stamford Bridge a 'happier place', Pulis remarked: "To be honest, what you've said is a load of c**p in lots of respects.

"The fact Mourinho won the league by a country mile last season – to say someone's come in and changed it and they're playing better and doing everything else better.

"There might have been other reasons that things didn't go so well this year, but to put Jose down is completely and utterly out of order.

"Saying that is disrespectful to Mourinho and also the players that won the league last year because they played some great football last year, some fantastic football."

Despite Chelsea's revival, they are still three points behind the Baggies in the table. But Pulis knows Albion, on a run of two straight wins in the Premier League, are in for a serious test.

He said: "We're in for a tough game. It's Chelsea, they've some wonderful players and we'll have to be on it and at our best. That's the same with every top four or five club.

"If you go away and play against them you have to have at least 10 of your players playing to their maximum to get a result.

"That is what we will have to do on Wednesday night. I have tremendous respect for the football club."

Reports have, meanwhile, linked Albion with a move for Lyon left-back Henri Bedimo. The Cameroon left-back is expected to be a free agent in the summer.