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West Brom ‘would beat Premier League sides’

Albion's promotion-chasers would beat Premier League opposition, according to sporting director Luke Dowling.

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Dwight Gayle has been backed to do it in the Premier League. (AMA)

The Baggies are second in the Championship and top scorers in the English professional leagues with 31 goals from 12 games.

They are currently on course to bounce back to the top tier at the first time of asking, but Dowling reckons Darren Moore’s free-scoring side would already give plenty of Premier League sides a run for their money.

He believes the gap between the bottom half of the Premier League and the top teams in the Championship is closing.

“There’s not much difference,” he said. “I’d like us to go and challenge a few Premier League teams now. I know that we’d beat them.”

Dowling is also confident Albion top scorer Dwight Gayle would deliver in the top tier.

Gayle has been unfairly pigeonholed as a Championship player thanks to his phenomenal record at that level, but some do not think him capable of stepping up.

He has 44 goals and 13 assists in 72 Championship appearances and 21 goals and four assists in 99 Premier League games, although a lot of those were off the bench.

Dowling, however, has confidence Gayle could step up, although he said it was too early to discuss a summer bid for the striker.

“It looks like he’s been here two or three seasons, he’s settled in that quickly,” said Dowling.

“We all know Dwight Gayle will score goals if he’s happy. And I say that about every level. I believe he can do that in the Premier League as well.”

Gayle is locked into a season-long loan from Newcastle and, unlike Harvey Barnes, can’t be recalled in January.

When Dowling was asked if Albion were planning to make permanent offers for either Barnes or Gayle he said: “That will be something we’ll look at leading up towards the summer window.

“With Dwight there’s no reason to have that conversation as we speak.

“When we get towards the end of the season and know what league we’re in we’ll have those discussions.

“Are we looking to purchase either? I don’t think we need to think about that right now.

“We’ve got Dwight all season and we’ll know where we are in a couple of months with young Harvey.”