Solskjaer highlights importance of West Brom clash

Cardiff City cannot afford to lose against relegation rivals West Brom on Saturday, according to manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer.

Every side in the bottom five of the Premier League lost on Saturday, meaning Cardiff – in 19th – remain three points adrift of 16th-placed West Brom.

While Solskjaer acknowledged his side could not be too disappointed with a 6-3 loss at the hands of high-flying Liverpool, he insists defeat at The Hawthorns this weekend is not an option.

“Liverpool was a bonus game, no-one except ourselves believed we could get anything out of it. But the game against West Brom is not negotiable. It is vital, you can’t lose that one,” said the Norwegian.

“The teams around us are not winning either. I don’t know if it is going to require four more wins (to stay up). I actually think it might be less.

“We’ve got seven games to get four more points than the two teams in front of us and we are definitely running out of time.

“But we’ve had momentum in performances, effort and attitude. We need points, so why not start at West Brom?”