'Find the balance' - Slaven Bilic makes West Brom plea ahead of Leeds clash

Wednesday evening will bring along the biggest test of the season for Leeds United as they travel to West Brom.

The Whites finished the decade at the top of the Championship and will look to continue that with either a point or three against the Baggies.

There is no hiding from the fact that the game is massive, and the mind games could have potentially already begun from one side.

Slaven Bilic has recently made a plea to protect his players, especially Pereira, who is set to line up against Kalvin Phillips in the final third at the Hawthorns.

"That’s what I’m talking about," he told the Birmingham Mail.

"Okay, it’s about the big players and their individual battles, but it’s 11 against 11 and we have to be together, we have to be compact when they have the ball, and to be aggressive.

"We have to protect the players. We have Pereira, who is the most fouled player in the league.

"I’ve seen recently that opponents are even more at him. He’s been given less fouls than so far in the season. We have to find the balance, and I love the intensity and the physicality - it’s a big part of this league."

Phillips has started to add much-need strength and physicality to his role since Marcelo Bielsa arrived at Elland Road.

The midfielder has become indispensable to the Whites, and he will need to play well if Leeds are to leave the Midlands with all three points on New Years Day, regardless of a couple of fouls or not.

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