Cox goes head-to-head with Fryatt

Had things worked out differently, Cox and Fryatt, who both netted 32 goals last season, could have been lining up together for the Foxes tomorrow.

Leicester could not afford Cox and the 22-year-old will be instead leading the Baggies attack instead as they look to gun down Nigel Pearson's side.

But Cox admits that former Walsall player Fryatt has blazed a trail for last season's successful League One hitmen.

Fryatt's goals fired Leicester to the title last season while Cox's efforts almost single-handedly kept Swindon clear of relegation trouble and sparked an enquiry from the Walkers Stadium.

But, while the Albion forward has been made to wait for his Championship chance after a £1.5million move to The Hawthorns, Fryatt has stayed with the Foxes and hit the ground running with 10 goals to his name this term.

Cox said: "When I heard about Leicester's interest it shocked me a little bit, because they had the leading scorer in League One at that stage.

"I wondered why they were looking at me but they obviously wanted two strikers who would get them 20-odd goals a season.

"Matty's a player who works hard and his record last year was good. He was consistent and one of the reasons they got promotion. He's a good player and we have to be on our guard. He has made the step up. He was high on confidence after last year after getting promotion and scoring so many goals.

"The manager there obviously told him he would play and he should produce what he did last year and he's cracked on, carrying on his form. He's already in double figures for this year so he's not done too badly.

"But I believe you can step up anyway. There is never a doubt about quality and if you believe in yourself you'll be able to do it.

"It's just about being given an opportunity to play. The first time Matty was in the Championship he didn't have a great year but then he went down to League One and found his goalscoring form and realised it's not greatly different."

Cox finally got his own Championship tally up and running against Watford last weekend after being handed just his second league start for the Baggies.

The 22-year-old is determined to enjoy himself against the Hornets after playing the occasion instead of the match when making his full league debut against Plymouth.

He said: "I really enjoyed the game last week. It was nice to be back playing again. The first game I played was the Plymouth game and I was in awe of the surroundings and getting my first game. It was overwhelming.

"But I'd had that and Saturday was about enjoying myself and not being fazed. It's what you play football for, to play in front of big crowds against big teams. I went out to enjoy myself. The Plymouth game was the first time I had stepped out in front of 20,000 people, playing from the start.

"You go from Reading reserves and 200 people to Swindon, where there are 7,000 people and empty seats, to a big club where there are no empty seats and there are crowds shouting and cheering.

"On Saturday I forgot all about that and it went well for me so I was happy."

Cox is defending a proud record against Leicester tomorrow, having scored in both meetings between the Foxes and Swindon last season.

But, having seen Pearson's men at first hand, the Albion marksman is expecting a tough test.

He said: "I played them twice and scored twice. We drew 1-1 and 2-2. It's nice to have that record but they've added over the summer and rightly so, because when you go up from League One to the Championship you're going to have to strengthen.

"They've done well and will be high on confidence. I know from personal experience what winning a league can do.

"At Reading we won the league and then got eighth place in the Premier League. That was on the back of the previous year and for them it's exactly the same.

"They have had a really good year and won promotion and Nigel Pearson has kept the core of the squad which won promotion. They've done it in League One and they all know each other and now they're giving the Championship a good go."