Sam Allardyce challenges West Brom to start unbeaten run against Man United

They host Manchester United on Sunday before facing Burnley, Brighton and Newcastle with Allardyce demanding more points.

The West Brom boss said: “If we can’t win the game, don’t lose it. It hasn’t happened as often as I would have liked but it’s about 38 points. Can the club go four, five or six games without getting beaten?

“That’s the goal to start with. Stop losing, start winning and drawing and go on an undefeated run and that will see the points tot up.

“Whenever we play Manchester United it’s a challenge. Our players need to be on top of their game and have shown at Liverpool and Manchester City they can be inspired to put in a very effective performance together.

“Hopefully that will give the lads the confidence to say they can do the same against Manchester United.

“If Manchester United are off form and we play to our best we have a chance of beating them – as Sheffield United did a couple of weeks ago.

“Our best is needed and it has to result in victories for us now.”

Grady Diangana is training after a hamstring injury but is not expected to join the matchday squad on Sunday.

Allardyce has also ended his interest in Ahmed Musa after the ex-Leicester forward trained with the Baggies.

Musa arrived late because of Covid-19 protocols, meaning Albion had run out of money having already signed Robert Snodgrass, Andy Lonergan, Mbaye Diagne and Okay Yokuslu in January.

“We bought four players in so that didn’t fall within our budget,” added Allardyce.

“It was a shame Musa didn’t come in earlier because of Covid and he may have been one of the four we brought in but because he was the fifth it couldn’t get done.”

Meanwhile, defender Conor Townsend has signed a new three-year deal at The Hawthorns.

The 27-year-old has made 60 appearances for Albion after joining from Scunthorpe in 2018.