West Brom v Man City: Sam Allardyce looking to squeeze some more bonus points out of Pep

Albion welcome an in-form Manchester City to The Hawthorns tonight eager to frustrate Pep Guardiola’s side for the second time in a little over a month.

It was on December 15 that the Baggies battled their way to an impressive point at the Etihad.

Boss Sam Allardyce has told his players to draw on that experience as they prepare to lock horns with City’s global superstars one again.

But while the pressure is off tonight, the same can’t be said for Albion’s next two games – plus a run of fixtures from late February into March.

The Baggies face Fulham on Saturday and Sheffield United next Tuesday – the sides who, along with them, are currently rooted in the bottom three.

Games against fellow strugglers Burnley, Brighton and Newcastle are also just around the corner.

For Allardyce and his coaching staff, they are the matches that are truly going to define their campaign.

But that doesn’t mean they are willing to write off the visit of Manchester City – with every game crucial when you are entrenched in a relegation battle.

“Every game for us is extremely important,” Allardyce said.

“But the fact of the matter is, for us, there are some games more winnable than others.

“We know we can get a result against Manchester City because we did it the last time we played against them.

“We’ve looked at that game, shown the players how well they did and now we want to emulate that.

“If points arrive against the massive clubs that is a huge bonus – but it’s not a necessity.

“It’s great when you get points off Manchester City and Liverpool like we have done.

“But when you come face-to-face with Fulham and Sheffield United, those games represent a bigger opportunity.

“We cannot afford to lose those games.

“We could play to our best against Man City and, in the form they are in, we could still lose. That would not be a shock.

“But we have to take points off the teams in and around us.”

Allardyce is hoping a result against Manchester City will see his team enter the Fulham and Sheffield United games full of confidence.

“It’s extremely important that we don’t lose against them (Fulham and Sheffield United),” Allardyce continued.

“That is the biggest message I can give the players.

“If you lose against those teams in and around you, it means you have to make up the points elsewhere.

“It allows them to move three points away from you and then you have to claw those points back just to get close again.

“Those points then have to be made up against a team in a position higher up the league, a West Ham for example.

“It can soon put you in a position where you are having to create some shocks around the Premier League – popping up with results that weren’t expected.

“I try and avoid that situation.”

City arrive at The Hawthorns having won 10 straight games since being held to a draw by the Baggies.

Guardiola’s side have conceded just three goals during that spell.

The Spanish boss is normally hailed for his attack-minded teams having effectively introduced the world to tiki-taka while in charge of Barcelona.

But Allardyce believes it’s their defensive resolve which now makes them serious contenders to win the Premier League.

“One of the big things that has impressed me with Manchester City this year is their resilience,” the Dudley-born chief added.

“They are doing exactly what I am looking for in my team.

“They are very difficult to score against now and that has given them a platform to move up the league very quickly.

“They are defensively resilient but I don’t think many people look at Manchester City and say the main reason for their success is how good they are defensively.

“But that’s because of the outstanding attacking ability they have.”