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New on Sports Illustrated: West Brom-Sheffield United Preview

Sam Allardyce wants to change the mentality at West Brom to avoid dropping more costly points in their survival bid.

The Baggies are facing a vital stretch in the season, visiting Sheffield United on Tuesday after facing Fulham at the weekend.

Allardyce's side led 2-1 at Fulham but conceded an equaliser 14 minutes from time, a damaging draw as the teams just above the relegation zone won.

West Brom have still won just once since Allardyce took over and must improve soon, although their head coach is not overly concerned by results elsewhere.

"It doesn't matter what they do or don't do," Allardyce said. "We need 38 (points) - historically that'll be enough.

"Soon enough we need to be the ones doing the winning and they the ones who are losing."

He added: "We had a great chance to win against Fulham; it's our fault we didn't. We just had to defend properly; we'd got in front.

"I keep telling them about the change of mentality in football - it depends on what the score is at that time. Are we winning 2-1? Let's defend properly, not just as a four but as an XI."

Sheffield United boss Chris Wilder is similarly keen not to put too much emphasis on how their rivals at the bottom fare.

The Blades lost 1-0 at Manchester City at the weekend, slowing their momentum after a shock victory against Manchester United.

"We all look at the other results and, when we got beat, I'm sure teams above us would be delighted," he said.

"We're only human - we can't get away from it - but we can't beat ourselves over what's gone on at other clubs. We need a result; that's what we can control and hopefully we can do that."

PLAYERS TO WATCH

Sheffield United - Billy Sharp

Sheffield United are belatedly picking up results and captain Sharp has played a key role. He has scored three goals in his past four home games in all competitions, more than the two he had netted in his previous 19 at Bramall Lane.

West Brom - Matheus Pereira

West Brom have defensive issues, but Pereira is having a huge impact in attack. He has been directly involved in five of their seven league goals under Allardyce, scoring four and assisting one.

KEY OPTA FACTS

- Sheffield United have lost three of their past four league games against West Brom (W1), as many as they had in their previous 12 against them (W6 D3).

- West Brom are looking to complete the league double over Sheffield United for the first time since the 1997-98 second-tier campaign, winning 4-2 at Bramall Lane that season.

- The Blades have never lost a Premier League home game in February, winning four and drawing two of their six games. Only Bournemouth (eight in September) and Brighton (seven in October) have played more home games in a specific month without ever losing in the competition.

- Sheffield United have lost eight matches 1-0 in the Premier League this season; at this stage of a top-flight season (after 21 matches), this is the joint-most 1-0 losses by a team, equalling Ipswich Town in 1985-86.

- West Brom have shipped 50 goals in 21 Premier League matches this season, the second-quickest a side have conceded 50 goals in a Premier League season behind only Barnsley in 1997-98, who conceded 50 in their first 19 games.

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