Albion's in-form defenders have been challenged to snuff out another top Championship striker.

Kevin Phillips was a target for both the Seagulls and Watford earlier in the summer before signing for relegated Blackpool, today’s visitors to The Amex.

Albion managed to nullify Cardiff pair Kenny Miller and Robert Earnshaw on Wednesday.

Boss Gus Poyet said: “People only talked about what we did at Cardiff with the ball and the goals we scored but the key was keeping Miller and Earnshaw quiet. We need to do that again against a top class player. “He (Phillips) is a different type, very clever. If you give him a yard he will have a shot and score probably, so we need to be tight.

"The good thing about Kevin Phillips is that we know him. It is not like when the opposition have a player you don't know.

"We know most of what he does and we need to make sure we cope with that..."

Poyet, sent-off in Albion's first Championship outing at The Amex against Doncaster for arguing with the referee, faces a kindred spirit in the opposite technical area today in Ian Holloway.

He said: "We have got a rule, we don't get involved with the opposition bench except if they get involved with us.

"If he (Holloway) wants to do what ever he wants to do with the referee, players, supporters, we have got no problem with that.

"I am passionate in what we do. I have got my area. Everything that happens in there is my place.

"I don't think there is going to be a problem. I like the way he feels about the game. I think it is important to have people like him in football."