West Brom boss Slaven Bilic aware of 'brave' Luton Town threat

Bilic's Baggies make the trip south on Saturday hoping to bounce back from their Carabao Cup exit to Millwall in mid-week.

But the boss isn't expecting an easy ride at Kenilworth Road, despite the Hatters taking part in their first Championship season since the 2006/7 campaign.

"They play very brave football, which puts them in a position to harm you or hurt you." Bilic said.

"But then it leaves them in a position sometimes where you can hurt them - we saw that in their first two Championship games."

Bilic is fully aware of the knowledge Luton Boss Graeme Jones may have about his side, with the 49-year-old working alongside Darren Moore at The Hawthorns last season.

The pair were sacked by the Baggies in the spring, with the club sitting fourth in the Championship - a move which shocked many football fans up and down the country.

The current Albion boss says his side need to be clever to get the better of Jones' charges.

"Their manager knows our players. He’s been here. They play very brave football. We’ll have to be very organised when they’re in possession. It’s not about just running, it’s about being clever."

"Also being good on the ball when we get the chance to cause them problems. I expect us to hurt them as well.

"It’s a good stadium, I don’t remember being there but I watched the game against Middlesbrough. It’s one of them! It’s loud."

Jones is more than up for the encounter, admitting there's nothing he'd give to earn three points against his former employers. He holds no bad blood with Albion over his departure, however.

"The professional side of me just views it as any other match, it’s the next game on the calendar." he told Luton Today.

“I think the emotional side of me remembers I had eight or nine really good months there, I really enjoyed the football club and the people that worked there, but there’s nothing I wouldn’t give for three points at the weekend.

"We were fourth, ninth of March, 61 points, I think we were top goalscorers in the Championship, so if Luton are in that position on the ninth of March I’ll take it right now.

"These things happen in football, I’ve moved on and I’m just concentrating on Luton results now and performances."

Despite having departed the club in March, Jones is more than aware of the threat posed by Albion, and admits he has a familiarity with many of the players likely to take to the pitch against his side on Saturday.

"The two full backs, the goalkeeper, Jake (Livermore), I know of Romaine Sawyers, the new Croatian lad [Filip Krovinovic] I don’t know.

"Matty Phillips on the right, I don’t know the centre forward from Cardiff [Kenneth Zohore], Charlie Austin, so I think we’ve got a good familiarity with the team and I know first hand as I worked with them for nine months, these are capable boys.

“I’ve got an insight into what their strengths are and their weaknesses are and every player has them, no matter who you are, very few are perfect.

“So we’ll be looking to nullify their strengths and exploit their weaknesses individually and as a team."