GARETH McAuley says it’s time for some of Albion’s older heads to lead the way.

The Baggies head to Stoke City this weekend without three of their natural leaders in Chris Brunt, Zoltan Gera and Steven Reid.

And although a fourth – influential Swede Jonas Olsson – could make a welcome return, McAuley insists it is up to him and his experienced team-mates to drag the club out of it’s cirrent predicament.

Albion have lost three league games on the bounce without scoring from open play.

The Nothern Ireland skipper admitted: “I think I have to try to step up to the mark. The Premier League is still quite new to me.

“But I’ve played a lot of games and have quite a bit of experience, as a few other lads in the dressing room have, and it’s up to us to step up to the mark and keep doing well in the absence of some of the leaders within the group.”

Albion are hopeful of getting the hugely influential Olsson fit for a return to action at The Britannia Stadium – the ground where he was involved in a tunnel altercation last season when he broke a framed team photograph.

Olsson has missed four games with a calf strain but could replace Craig Dawson against the Potters, who have won 19 and drawn seven of the last 27 league clashes between the sides over 22 years.