BOSS Roy Hodgson is confident West Brom will not buckle under the pressure of growing expectation.

Hodgson takes his side to Stoke on Saturday mindful that Albion have not won a League game since before Christmas.

They finished 11th last season and although Hodgson always earmarked survival as the main aim for this term, he accepts ambitions have been raised.

“Expectations are good,” said the manager.

“It’s good that people or the pundits regard us as a team that stays in the league and has the wherewithal to stay in the league – that can only be a positive.

‘Of course, it means every time we lose a couple of games and get closer to that relegation zone people ask what’s happening, fans get worried and, in particular, our home results this year have been very poor.

‘‘That, in many ways, is the worst thing that can happen as you want to show your form in front of your home fans.

“Quite often it doesn’t matter how you play, people come to see you win, regardless of how you’ve played.

“So the level of expectation is higher but there is nothing wrong with that.

“Yes, it’s about survivial, making ourselves stronger by staying in the league, but if we’re not careful we can shoot ourselves in the foot by losing track of what’s important.