Albion boss Steve Coppell says defensive errors must be eradicated and the goalscoring ratio improved if the Seagulls are to beat the drop.

Saturday's 1-0 defeat by high-riding Reading was Albion's fourth in eight matches since Coppell took charge and the first in which his side have failed to score at home.

"I am massively disappointed," he said. "That is probably a quarter of my tenure gone now.

"In eight games we have got eight points and it's fair to say a point a game isn't going to do us any good. We have got to improve on that and for that to happen we have got to eliminate mistakes at the back and we have got to have more firepower up front.

"If you score goals you have got a chance of getting out of a situation like this. If you don't score goals it's a long season."

John Salako, who played under Coppell at Crystal Palace, kept Albion at the foot of the table with his first goal of the season.

His 22nd-minute strike was enough to earn Reading their sixth straight win without conceding.

Albion face a key relegation battle at Sheffield Wednesday, the side immediately above them, this Saturday.

"Realistically, you have got to divide the division," Coppell said. "We are competing in a handicap competition, given our level of wage commitment, investment in the team and the investment of other sides.

"There are quite a few in this division where one, or certainly two, players earn more than my whole side put together.

"There are certain teams where any points we get from them are a real bonus and then we have got to slug it out with the bottom half a dozen or so.

"That is our League and realistically that is what we have got to get points from."

Graham Barrett, ruled out of the last four matches by a knee injury, is expected to extend his loan stint from Arsenal to the rest of the season before the trip to Hillsborough.

Coppell, desperate to have the young Irishman back to partner Bobby Zamora, said: "As far as I'm concerned it's urgent, but he and his agent are in control of the situation and we can't do anything until they agree terms."

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