Stoke v West Brom: Darnell Furlong issues a Baggies warning for Stoke contest

The short trip to the Potteries sees Carlos Corberan’s men tackle a Stoke side still working to ensure they are clear of the Championship drop zone – though a productive four-point Easter weekend went some way to opening a five-point buffer to the bottom three.

It’s been a season of general disappointment for Stoke, now under former Plymouth boss Steven Schumacher after Alex Neil was dismissed in December, shortly before City claimed a point with a 1-1 draw at The Hawthorns. Form slipped badly in January and February with a run of six defeats in seven.

Some of fifth-placed Albion’s remaining fixtures might appear relatively attractive on paper – rock-bottom Rotherham arrive next Wednesday before the visit of Sunderland, marooned in mid-table. Furlong, though, is not interested in where opposition find themselves at this stage of the campaign and insists sides fighting for survival like Stoke are dangerous.

“We’d be lying if we said we didn’t look at what’s going on but personally I don’t like to look too much, I just take the next game as it comes and we go to Stoke and we know what they are fighting for,” said Furlong.

“It’s not going to be an easy game, people often say ‘they are the teams you want to play’, they are the teams sometimes you don’t want to play, because they are fighting for everything. We saw that at QPR and look at the run they’re on now. We have to focus on beating what’s in front of us.”

Furlong has been a regular in Corberan’s Championship side this term. He has featured in all 40 games (starting 38) and gained plaudits for a consistent campaign. No outfield Baggies player has featured more (Cedric Kipre has also played 38 games).

The full-back added: “I’ve enjoyed it but I haven’t really looked too much going backwards, it’s more about we’ve still got a very big job to do and nothing’s over.

“We’ve actually almost done nothing yet, we’ll just keep going and see what happens.”

Furlong’s stunner on Monday came against the club his dad Paul represented in two goal-laden seasons between 1992 and 1994. It was Furlong’s fourth goal of the season, the full-back had only previously bagged two in a single campaign.

The 28-year-old has maintained his place in Corberan’s starting XI ahead of Spanish loanee Pipa, who has failed to stake his claim having checked in from Ludogorets in Bulgaria.

The head coach has suggested Pipa’s presence has pushed Furlong on. The full-back said: “No, not at all, to be honest. I always set standards for myself. Pipa is obviously a brilliant player but it doesn’t affect me whether there is someone chasing me or not, I want to win and I want to do well.

“It doesn’t take someone to push me from behind, it’s something I’ve always had ingrained in me.”