'We have to': West Brom boss Tony Mowbray explains Championship play-off race requirement

The Baggies’ impressive display at leaders Leeds United on Saturday earned them a point but they dropped a place to sixth in the table – after Coventry City's victory at Oxford United.

Ten sides between fifth and 14th place are separated by just nine points – while the gap between fifth-placed Coventry and fourth-placed Sunderland has opened up to 12 points.

The top four positions in the division looked now to be boxed off – but West Brom boss Tony Mowbray has insisted that, although it is unlikely anyone in the play off race can climb above fifth, he is looking up rather than down.

However, Mowbray has a more pressing matter in front of him that he believes will define Albion's battle for a top-six spot and a shot at the Premier League in May.

Albion face Queens Park Rangers at The Hawthorns on Saturday - ahead of five more home fixtures before the end of the campaign.

Struggling Hull City come to the West Midlands before the international break - with Mowbray's former charges Sunderland arriving in early April.

Albion will face another play-off rival in Watford - before the final two home fixtures come against struggling Derby County and Luton Town.

And Mowbray has outlined the importance of the clashes and what is riding on these home games.

He said: "You always have to have targets. But I cannot see them losing four games, and then we would have to win every game which is unlikely.

"We're trying to chase the teams above us rather than looking below us.

"We have QPR and Burnley and after the international break you have five or six left.

"So we just have to keep picking up points really.

"We have to win every home game in my opinion, and go to places like Turf Moor and throw some punches at them.

"You can't just stand there all game and get battered, we have to throw some punches at them because we are a decent team."