Slaven Bilic throws down gauntlet to West Brom as Baggies look to close back in on Leeds United and boot on from Brentford

West Brom have taken just one point from their first two games after lockdown with a goalless draw at home to Birmingham City followed by a 1-0 loss at a third-placed Brentford side who are quickly closing in on the division's top two.

Thomas Frank's Bees now sit just two points behind the second-placed Baggies after Tuesday night's 3-0 romp at Reading and West Brom will now take in their midweek game with Wednesday night's 7.45pm kick-off at Garry Monk's 13th-placed Owls.

Defeat or even a draw would leave West Brom facing the possibility of falling out of the automatic promotion places this weekend with Brentford at home to 14th-placed Wigan Athletic for a Saturday 3pm kick-off and the Baggies not in action until Sunday when they entertain fourth-bottom Hull City, also at 3pm.

Yet victory for Bilic's side would put them one point behind front-runners Leeds after United's 1-1 draw at home to Luton Town and Bilic is backing his men to rise to the challenge with the chips firmly down.

"Some people would have you believe this is a jolly-up and we have champagne on ice in the locker room,” Bilic told the Express & Star.

“That’s not true. There’s a lot of pressure.

“Everybody is waiting for us to make mistakes. Everybody is trying to say negative things.

“We are prey! There are nine games but they are not normal games – they are nine cup finals.

“Nobody is going to do it for us – it’s down to us.

“Every defeat puts a question mark in your head, but it shouldn’t harm us.

“We know what we have to do. I’ve spoken to them and what makes me positive is my own team.

“We’ve been down before and we reacted amazingly.

“You want to help them. They need help. We have to help them cope with that pressure.

“But unfortunately nobody ever achieved anything without coping with pressure.

“Now is the time to show what we’re made of. It’s there for us, but nobody is going to give it to us.

“We have to take it.”