WIGAN manager Steve Bruce has expressed admiration for the way West Brom counterpart Tony Mowbray has stuck to his principles.

The Latics go to The Hawthorns knowing a victory would virtually condemn their opponents to relegation – even if Hull fail to get a point at home to Stoke.

West Brom are six points from safety and a vastly inferior goal difference means defeat would almost certainly send them back to the Coca- Cola Championship after just one season in the top flight.

Unlike many of the teams promoted from the second tier of English football, Mowbray’s side have a reputation for trying to play a passing game.

So far it has not worked and they are bottom of the table, although their 23 goals at home is a better tally than half of their Premier League rivals, including seventhplaced West Ham.

‘‘They are a terrifically good footballing team. Tony wants to play a certain way, which is an open and attractive style,’’ said Bruce.

‘‘I think we all have our beliefs in how we want the team to play, Tony is not going to change.

‘‘Some people say they are too open but the supporters and club are geared to play that way and who am I to say any different?

‘‘When I came up with Birmingham I had one philosophy, to build a team that was difficult to beat. I was not going to be expansive and open because I did not have the players.

‘‘We identified players who fitted into that mould – we only needed a few skulls and crossbones on their shirts because they were a bunch of pirates, but they were enjoyable to work with.’’ Many expected at least one team to have already been relegated by this stage of the season but the situation is so tight among the bottom five that West Brom are still in with a chance.

‘‘This season has been a really even contest and I think it has the shape of what we expected, although possibly we didn’t expect Fulham to be where they are and Newcastle where they are.

‘‘Tony will be thinking, ‘If we can turn them (Wigan) over and win that gets us to 31 points, which is level with (18th-placed) Newcastle, who play on Monday.”