By Sam Box
February 19 2003

A must win game for albion to get them within reaching distance of 17th place a win tonight and a win on saturday against west ham could lift albion out of the relegation zone. Under-pressure Jean Tigana has demanded his struggling Fulham players focus on doing the one thing that could keep him in a job beyond the summer - staying in the Barclaycard Premiership.

Cottagers chairman Mohamed Al Fayed has warned results will decide whether he offers the manager a 24-month extension to his three-year contract which expires in four months.

Plummeting through the relegation trapdoor would almost certainly lead to Tigana's exit - and he knows his side will be just six points above the drop zone if they lose against West Brom at Loftus Road.

So the Frenchman has emphasised the importance of recording an eighth home league success of the season, therefore establishing a 12-point cushion between the west London side and the bottom three consisting of the Baggies, West Ham and Sunderland.

Tigana, who revealed on Sunday he would retire in the summer anyway unless Al Fayed told him his masterplan for the future, said: "This is a big game and we have to win against West Brom. That's our target.

"The Premiership is the priority and the big target is to keep the team at the top level.

"I'd prefer to stay in the Premiership and stay in the FA Cup - but our main target is staying at the high level."

Tigana has been hit by a hamstring curse which has ruled three players out of the relegation scrap with Gary Megson's men.

Winger Luis Boa Morte, midfielder Sylvain Legwinski and centre-back Zat Knight are all sidelined with the same injury - but the trio hope to be fit for the White Hart Lane clash with Tottenham.

West Brom will be without striker Jason Roberts who is suspended.

Roberts will start a three-match ban after losing his appeal against his sending-off at Manchester City earlier in the month.

Lee Hughes, Danny Dichio and Scott Dobie will be vying for the striking roles while midfielder Andy Johnson is ruled out with the broken toe suffered after he came on as a substitute against Bolton 11 days ago.