CHRIS Hughton has been backed to steer Albion to safety in the Premier League – by one of his rivals next season.

Bournemouth boss Eddie Howe believes the Seagulls can safely negotiate the step up.

Howe kept Bournemouth out of the bottom three in their first season after promotion from the Championship and they have just secured their top flight spot again.

Albion are 11-10 favourites with SkyBet to go straight back down among the 17 clubs already assured of a place in the Premier League in 2017-18 but Howe expects them to defy those odds.

He told The Argus: “I think they will do really well, because I think they’ve got a really good team, they’ve got a really good spirit and I think, most importantly, they’ve got a great manager.

“He deserves all the credit, with the players of course, for the rise that they’ve had.

“His experience as well – he has been in football a long time – I think will stand them in good stead.”

Bournemouth made certain of survival again with last Saturday’s 2-2 draw at home to Stoke.

Three of the back four - former Seagull Steve Cook, Simon Francis and Charlie Daniels - featured for them in League One, demonstrating that players can exceed expectations in the Premier League.

Howe said: “I’m a firm believer that a lot of players just need that opportunity to show that they can.

“If you look at the numbers of our players who played in the Championship and who have now played in the Premier League and are doing well in the Premier League, there’s a big percentage of our squad that have remained with us.”

Newcastle, who pipped Albion to the Championship title won by Bournemouth two years ago, are 7-2 with Skybet to be relegated - a bigger price than both Burnley and Watford.