Tony Pulis has said he believes his West Brom players are suffering from a lack of confidence after losing 4-0 at home to Manchester City.
The Baggies boss spoke to the media in the wake of his side's 4-0 drubbing at the hands of Pep Guardiola's men as he reflected on another defeat in the Premier League.
Sergio Aguero and Ilkay Gundogan grabbed a brace apiece as the away outfit put West Brom to the sword in the Midlands, and speaking after the game Pulis stated that he was doing his best to convince his charges that they had the ability to go toe-to-toe with the league's best teams.
🎥 Tony Pulis reacts to today's @premierleague defeat to @ManCity at The Hawthorns #WBA pic.twitter.com/x012ZCSP4j
He said: "I'm trying to convince the players they're good enough," he said. "The team sheet comes through and City have got fantastic players but you've still got to be up for it and in their faces.
"I told them let's get up against them and really make them work for everything.
"We didn't do that until we were 2-0 down and until we made the changes in the second half.I'll have a good chat with them because it's the third time it's happened against a bigger club.
"You've got to have that confidence, we're not talking about a group of players who are inexperienced.
"They have to have that belief. Our form hasn't been too bad. Liverpool was our first defeat in four games so the confidence should be there."
Pulis was also leftto rue a number of chances for his side to haul themselves back into the game with the scoreline at 2-0, and added that he wants his players to be more clinical in front of goal in the matches still to come.
He said: "We needed a goal and we had the opportunities. If we had scored a goal it would have been a different game."
"One chance he (Gareth McAuley) has actually touched. If he doesn't touch it, Chadli's tucked it in at the back post.
"Another time Jonathan's got round the back post and Mozza (James Morrisson) is there and if he just plays it to Moz, he taps that one is as well. Big decisions to make for a young player in the final third. You see the difference, they (City) get in there and they score."
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