Mark Lawrenson predicts winner in West Brom v Spurs and gives survival verdict
West Brom are on a four-game winless run and Mark Lawrenson believes their troubles will continue when they play Tottenham Hotspur on Sunday.
Albion took just one point from two vital survival clashes in the past week, drawing 2-2 at The Hawthorns to Fulham on Saturday before succumbing to a 2-1 defeat at Sheffield United on Tuesday.
Giving his weekly predictions to the BBC, Lawrenson said Spurs will have too much for Albion at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, despite the absence of star striker Harry Kane through injury.
“Even without him up front, they should still be too strong for West Brom though,” he said.
“The Baggies have picked up only one point from their past four games and are 10 points from safety, which is a heck of a lot of ground to make up. It is very difficult to see how they can turn things around and get out of this situation.
“I know West Brom boss Sam Allardyce is still drumming into his side what he wants them to do, and I am sure their results will improve – I just can’t see them going on a run good enough to get them out of the bottom three.”
Lawrenson thinks Spurs will win 2-0.
Must-win territory
It really is getting to the stage where West Brom have to take the handbrake off and go for it.
They are at risk of being cut adrift before the season even starts to reach its climax as they now sit 10 points off Burnley and Newcastle United who occupy the last Premier League survival places.
Brighton’s shock win at Liverpool on Wednesday has seen them start to pull away and the Championship is beckoning The Baggies.
They will travel to a Spurs side, though, who are low on confidence themselves having lost their last three games, including two at home.
Albion can also take heart from the previous meeting between the sides where it took an 88th minute Kane goal to separate the sides.
Without him in the starting XI Spurs have failed to score in their last two games and so Big Sam must be eyeing this up as an opportunity for his side to take advantage and pick up a massive three points to aid their survival quest.
However it is hard to argue against Lawro’s preview with Albion looking so disheveled and lacking in quality.
In other West Brom news, Kevin Phillips gives his AMN verdict.
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