West Bromwich Albion v Hull City: Liam Millar on why he always felt Tigers would get rewards

The Tigers were expected to be in a relegation battle this season; whenever the Baggies are in the Championship, they are expected to push for the play-offs at worst.

The hosts kick off one from bottom, Hull in fifth.

West Brom are yet to win in 2026, already a year of three managers – former Tiger Ryan Mason, Eric Ramsay and now James Morrison.

Hull lost back-to-back games against play-off rivals Ipswich Town and Millwall last week, but held more store in the quality of both performances. Their faith was repaid in Tuesday's 2-1 win over Wrexham.

"Sometimes you don't play well and you get results (but) that can only happen for so long," argues Liam Millar. "As long as the majority of our games we're playing well and doing everything the gaffer wants us to do and everything we believe in, I feel like the results will follow.”

Millar (pictured) also has a better perspective on the game after rupturing cruciate knee ligaments last season.

"I definitely don't get as hung up or disappointed as I probably used to," he says, "because every time I'm able to step on the pitch, it's a pleasure. I missed that feeling. You understand you can lose it all in a second.

"It's difficult to still go through bad moments but it's just about remembering the resets and the stuff that helps you get through these moments.

"It's just all part of football, isn't it?"

Millar is part of a resilient dressing room too.

"In those moments where things are tough, if you haven't been in this situation before you don't know what to do," he says. "It can sometimes swallow you up, I feel.

"A lot of us have a lot of Championship experience, and of going up and playing in the play-offs.

"I feel like that really helps to get through the games where we need that extra push that can help us get through tough moments.

"We have players in the team who know how to win games.

"That's been the biggest driving factor this season, I feel, compared to last season. This season I feel like we know how to win and we figure out ways to win games.

"I feel like that's the biggest difference."

With so much pressure on West Brom, Hull’s challenge will be to ramp it up at The Hawthorns.

"They need points," says their coach, Sergej Jakirovic. "There are a lot of teams very tight (in the relegation battle). So we are expecting from the beginning of the game a lot of pressure, a loud stadium.

"We must be very focused on concentrating in these moments. And when we have the ball, we try to combine, to create some chances."

He knows West Brom will not be a soft touch.

"I liked them when Ryan Mason was there," says Jakirovic.

"Maybe that was a mistake (sacking him). I don't know, I am not (on their) board.

"But I like how they played. In the home game when we won 1-0, we had a lot of problems with them.

"There is no, 'We are now in the play-offs and they are in the relegation zone.' We must perform even better than Tuesday."