West Bromwich Albion manager Tony Pulis would not blame the club if he was sacked because of their poor start to the English Premier League season, he said on Friday.
Albion are 16th in the table, a point above the relegation places with only two wins in 11 games, and head into Saturday’s home encounter with defending champions Chelsea on the back of three consecutive defeats.
British media reports this week suggested that Pulis has two games — including next weekend’s trip to third-placed Tottenham Hotspur — to save his job.
“No, not at all,” the manager replied when asked at a news conference if it would be unfair if he was sacked.
”It is just life, it is the way it is. If you don’t get results then you are under pressure … last year we were one result worse off than we are this year.
The manager also defended his record, pointing out that he had guided West Brom to a 10th-place finish last season.
“It was only the third time in the club’s history that this club has finished 10th in the league,” he said.
Midfielder Nacer Chadli will miss the Chelsea game and faces a spell on the sidelines after picking up a muscle injury in training.
The Belgium international missed West Brom’s pre-season training camp in Austria and has played only two league games this season after a series of injuries.
“We are disappointed … he played the two 90 minutes (for Belgium during the international break) and ended up getting an injury yesterday in training that’s going to keep him out for the foreseeable future,” Pulis said.