West Brom’s Nicky Shorey: Liverpool strike pair Carroll & Suarez will be tough to play against

Nicky Shorey – West Brom, (Getty Images)

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West Brom defender Nicky Shorey has labelled Liverpool strikers Luis Suarez and Andy Carroll an ‘exciting’ partnership and knows it will be tough playing against them on Saturday.

The Anfield outfit tracel to the Hawthorns tomorrow on the back of a win away at Sunderland and with the scintillating performances of Suarez and the growing fitness of Carroll, Shorey knows the Baggies will be in for a battle.

“Yes, it’s going to be tough,” he said. “I think they’ve been an exciting partnership, obviously still bedding in together and Suarez looks a terrific player, and obviously Carroll coming back to fitness now, so it’s going to be a big plus for them.”

Roy Hodgson will be going up against the club he started the season with and Shorey understands the pressure on the former Fulham man’s shoulders, but says the players are treating the game like any other.

He added: “Yes, I suppose a lot of people look at that a big game for Hodgson, but being here all week and training-wise it hasn’t been mentioned once, you know.  All we’ve been doing is what we normally do and preparing for the game, and I wouldn’t expect anything less from the gaffer.”

Hodgson, a defender back in his playing days, would arguably be a perfect manager to suit Shorey’s needs, but the 30-year-old believes it is the mentality of the former Reds boss that has helped the team gain some much needed form.

He said: “Obviously it’s a different approach to other people and everyone’s got their own ideas. 

“I think it was key for us to just be aware of what was meant to be asked from each of us in the team and helping each other out a bit more, and it’s just a bit more of a change in mentality, so its benefited us I think.”

West Brom have one of the toughest challenges ahead of them to stay in the top flight, but Shorey believes with his team’s mentality, they have as good a chance as anyone.

“We have got a tough run-in,” he said. “But I think whether you’re playing the top teams or the teams about you it’s going to be a tough game, you know. 

“I don’t think you can look at… you know, we look at our run-in, we have got some fixtures, you think ‘Oh my God, I don’t know if they’re going to get a result there’, probably people are looking at it, but on the other side there’s teams fighting for their life, and the way Leeds gone this season it’s been so tight.  I think we’ve got equally as good a chance as anyone, staying up.”

This Saturday Absolute Radio’s Rock ‘N’ Roll Football show travels to The Hawthorns for West Brom v Liverpool. You can tune in every Saturday on Absolute Radio extra – on DAB Digital Radio, 1215AM and online in the UK. For more go to www.absoluteradio.co.uk/football