Conor Townsend outlines the West Brom record that is key to Championship play-off chances

After a rocky start to the campaign at the back Albion have been largely solid since the opening weeks of the season.

The Baggies and keeper Alex Palmer have been sat at the top of the clean sheet charts for a number of weeks.

They went into the win over Norwich without a shut-out in their last three outings - however a tight defensive display gave them an 11th clean sheet of the campaign.

Albion vice captain Townsend, who has featured in ten out of the 11 shut outs, has credited Corberan's organisation for the record.

And he also explained that being so tight at the back also helps offensively when it comes to winning games.

He said: "You can see how organised the gaffer has got us.

"Right from the front to the back, that's what has got us the clean sheets and defensive record we have.

"Palms gets a lot of praise and rightly so, and us defenders too but it does start from the front with the attackers and you can see how organised we are and if we were just four defenders defending and the rest did what they want, then we'd be nowhere near where we are at the moment and the defensive record we've got.

"Having that gives you a chance in every game so if you keep a clean sheet, you don't need to always create as much or score as many."

Albion's narrow 1-0 win over Norwich City on Boxing Day kept them fifth in the table - after run of just one victory in five outings prior to Boxing Day.

Leeds United come to The Hawthorns on Friday before Albion start the New Year with a trip to face Swansea City on New Years Day.

Heading into the second half of the season, the race for a place in the Championship play-offs looks as though it is potentially going to be as tight as it has ever been.

Just eight points separate Albion in fifth place and Blackburn Rovers who are sat 15th in the Championship table.

And Townsend believes keeping up their clean sheet record could be key to securing a play-off spot.

He added: "It's vital to getting us where we want to be this year and hopefully that's in the play-offs.

"We're there now and we just need to continue how we are to stay there."