Albion have the best record for injuries in the Premier League.

And that has played a big part in keeping them out of the relegation zone, according to Chris Hughton.

Only Steve Sidwell and Jiri Skalak are sidelined from tomorrow's FA Cup fifth round tie at home to Coventry.

Sidwell has been out all season after back and ankle operations, while Skalak (below) suffered ankle damage in the fourth round win at Middlesbrough.

The Argus: The availability of so many players gives Hughton scope to make 11 changes if he wishes against the League Two visitors and still field a strong team.

Premier League clubs have paid out more than £134.2 million in wages to injured players so far this season, research by a specialist insurance broker and risk consultant has revealed.

The study by JLT Speciality up to February 5 showed that Albion have suffered the least number of injuries (14) at the lowest cost of £1.77 million.

That is well below the average cost of £6.7 million. West Ham top the injury table with 41, while Manchester United have incurred the higest costs at almost £16 million.

Mathew Ryan, Lewis Dunk, Dale Stephens and Davy Propper have all started all 27 of Albion's Premier League fixtures.

Hughton attributes the impressive record to a combination of a good medical team and good fortune.

He told The Argus: "It's been hugely important for us because it has allowed us, particularly in some positions, to have that consistency.

"The medical department have to take huge credit. They work the players really well and we don't take too many risks.

"Some players on some days we give a down day. The medical department assess them day in, day out and they have done an outstanding job this season.

"But I also can't take away the luck element. That is something that will always be the case in the game, an injury from a tackle or bad tackle, they either happen or they don't.

"We have avoided them, which is great news. The hard work on the training pitch and what the medical department do are really to restrict the muscle injuries. The contact ones are very difficult to do anything about.

"Of the three seasons I have been here this would be the best so far re injuries. Beram Kayal (below) was out for a period at the start of the season (broken leg).

The Argus: "Siddy unfortunately. We have managed to cope well in that position (central midfield), due to the form of Dale and Davy."

Although Hughton will field a shadow side against Coventry he will be desperate to avoid injuries for the Premier League relegation run-in, especially to Jurgen Locadia on his debut after hamstring trouble and Leo Ulloa.

"It's important," Hughton said. "Going into the last 11 games every club that is in that group of teams will be hoping they don't pick up injuries, particularly either to main players or in important positions where they don't have so much cover.

"Hopefully the trend we've had this season can continue."

The Argus: Anthony Knockaert (above), who suffered an ankle injury in Albion's opening friendly in July which disrupted his preparations for the season, is among the players expected to start against Coventry.

The French right-winger, better known for his attacking exploits, goes into the tie lifted by the dramatic goal-line clearance which preserved a point at Stoke on Saturday.

After Ryan saved Charlie Adam's late penalty and Dunk stopped the Scot converting the rebound, substitute Knockaert nodded a goalbound Mame Diouf header off the line from a corner to avoid Albion adding to their Premier League highest tally for conceding from set pieces.

Hughton said: "We have a set-up. We try to put players on the posts if we can but when you are up against teams that are very good on short corners and will flood a particular area, sometimes you have to sacrifice something.

"There will always be this talk of player on the back post or not. Sometimes a player on the back post means there is a player less elsewhere, which might mean a vulnerable area.

"It is always going to be a preference. That was his (Knockaert's) role. You either do it athletically or not. Credit to Anthony, he was very bright and there was a certain amount of reading it.

"As we saw later, a good section of the ball was over the line. If he'd got it sightly wrong he might have been heading it when the ball was already over the line.

"It certainly gave him a big lift after the game. In the same way as Maty and Dunky kept us in the game, Anthony did. There is always that nice feeling for a player."