Express & Star

Pressure on Tony Pulis to deliver a West Brom party

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There should be a party atmosphere on the last day of the season when there's nothing left to play for, but an eight-match winless run has poured water on Albion's fireworks.

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Head coach Tony Pulis needs a victory tomorrow to better last season's points tally.

But he also needs one to placate the Albion fans weary after a long slog of a season and thirsty for some entertainment.

The Baggies smashed champions-elect Chelsea 3-0 in their final home game last season.

Two years before that they drew 5-5 with Manchester United in Sir Alex Ferguson's swansong.

Three points tomorrow, and a few goals to boot, may just send the supporters off for summer with a spring in their step.

It's not going to spark a flurry of bets on the Baggies to win the league, but it would help.

Ending the season nine matches without a win would leave a cloud hanging over Pulis until August.

Liverpool come to The Hawthorns with more than just one eye on the Europa League final three days later, and Jurgen Klopp is bound to give the youngsters a run around.

But that puts even more pressure on the Baggies head coach.

Lose to Liverpool's kids, and the end of season lap of appreciation may be drowned out with boos.

Pulis knows Klopp will name a much-changed line-up, but he says the Reds won't be lacking quality.

"It will be closer to the side that beat Watford than the one that played the other day against Chelsea," he said.

"But they played much better against Watford than the 11 which played against Chelsea.

"When you think they can play, Allen, Lucas, Benteke, they are all top international players.

"They have top players, whichever team he puts out. It's not what they do it's what we do."

Albion could also have a few teenagers in their starting line-up.

James McClean is expected to miss the game with a back injury that stopped him training on Friday, and Pulis isn't going to play James Morrison, whose future now appears to be drifting elsewhere.

Stephane Sessegnon missed the Bournemouth game through illness, but even though he has trained, he's still a doubt. "McClean hasn't trained, I'm not sure about Sess, but I'm looking to get the kids involved," said Pulis.

"Morrison won't be involved."

Teenage winger Jonathan Leko will fill one of those free spots, but 17-year-olds Tyler Roberts and Sam Field may also pick up valuable minutes.

Albion were incredibly unlucky not to win the reverse fixture at Anfield in December.

Only a 96th-minute deflected Divock Origi equaliser denied the Baggies a 2-1 win over Klopp.

It was a passion-filled Sunday game that ended with the German refusing to shake Pulis's hand.

"It was one of his early games, he was desperate to put a mark in the sand and win a game of football," said Pulis. "He wears his heart on his sleeve and there's no way I can complain what he does, having done almost similar things over almost 20 years."

Klopp is known for his high-pressing game that harries the oppostion's defenders and denies them time on the ball.

Klopp's players need to be super-fit in order to play this way, but Pulis reckons Albion – despite being the oldest in the league – is one of the hardest working.

"There's been a big piece which has come out and said Klopp's going to train them three times a day in pre season, which is lovely," said Pulis. "It's what we've done for 20 years in my management career.

"He wants to get them fit and running around. They are top players so I expect them to do well.

"I think with the running stats and everything else we're close to the top on that and could even be top. We've out-run and out-worked Tottenham, we've out-run and out-worked Bournemouth."