West Brom v Blackburn: Baggies boss aiming to stay right side of 'fine margins'

James Morrison has warned Albion can’t afford to let their standards slip as they look to stay on the right side of the Championship’s “fine margins”.

The Baggies host Blackburn on Saturday looking to record back-to-back wins for the first time since the opening two matches of the season.

Morrison hopes Tuesday’s 2-1 win at Wrexham, which snapped the first two-match losing streak of his managerial career, will have restored belief after a tricky period which saw derby defeats to Wolves and Blues either side of a three-week international break.

The boss believes his team regained some rhythm at the Racecourse Ground but expects another tight contest, against a Blackburn side finding their feet under two-time Albion boss Tony Mowbray, winning three of their last four fixtures.

Only two Baggies matches this season have been decided by more than a one-goal margin.

Morrison said: “I think there are fine margins really, to the games and this division. It can test you in many different ways.

“You can find yourself going on winless runs and I won’t be the only manager saying it. It is just about how you can keep finding positive results and keep moving forward.

“I think we had our rhythm back on Tuesday. Maybe the break did us no good. It should give us massive relief because it is another away win.

“I am looking forward to a response on Saturday, against another tough side. We are going to need everyone again.”

Saturday promises to be something of a special occasion for Morrison, as he pits his wits against the man responsible for bringing him to Baggies nearly two decades ago.

Mowbray, who will himself be back at The Hawthorns for the first time since his second, brief spell as head coach ended in April 2025, was among the former bosses Morrison sought out for advice after taking charge of the Baggies earlier this year.

His first steps in management could hardly have gone much better and with Tuesday’s win it could be said he has overcome his first minor blip following the disappointing derby defeats.

Morrison conceded he had made some “big calls” by dropping the likes of Auge Heggebo, Jimmy-Jay Morgan and Nat Phillips from the starting XI.

Yet the response he got from all three when they came off the bench helped turn the game. Morgan’s deflected shot led to Isaac Price scoring the equaliser, before Phillips was involved in the build-up to Heggebo’s winner.

“That is how it should be, with the subs coming on,” said Morrison. “I see people call them the finishers in modern day football.

“That is what we saw on Tuesday, we finished the game strong.”

Heggebo’s goal felt particularly significant, with the striker having struggled for form since being banned for two matches for scoring with his hand on the opening day at Norwich.

But Morrison also acknowledged the team must do more to help the Norwegian out.

“Again, it might be service with him because he comes alive in the box and it is another great finish,” he said.

“Last season, all his goals were in the box really. His headers, he arrives at the near post.

“We changed the shape a bit. It is something we worked on in the break and I felt we had a bit of success with it.

“I was searching for a result, I made some big calls and the lads answered.”