MICHAEL Appleton insists there is no need for Albion to panic after back-to-back defeats as he prepares to visit his old club in Saturday's second-versus-third clash at Preston (ko 12.45pm).

The Baggies first-team coach admits losses to Crystal Palace and Barnsley following an eight-game unbeaten start to the campaign will come as a wake-up call.

But Albion have 20 points from ten games and he has urged calm as they look to hold off the challenge of nearest rivals North End, who are two points behind.

"Sometimes when you get off to a fantastic start like we did you can get into a frame of mind where the lads just do the same thing game after game, and it works," said Appleton, who spent three-and-a-half years as a player at Deepdale.

"Then, when those things don't work for a couple of games, it can be a bit of a shock to the system, and can take some time to react to it.

"It was a strong reminder of what this division is all about and, if any of the players were under the impression that the league would be a stroll, then the last couple of games have been a wake-up for everybody at the club, including the coaching staff.

"It just proves that in this league if you don't have eight or nine players right at it in every game it is going to be very tough to win matches.

"But I do know there is no panic. We are second in the table and we have got 20 points.

"We are on the target of two points per game that most clubs would want if they were going to think about getting promoted.

"We are disappointed with the last two games but there is probably not one thing you can put your finger on and blame.

"It is probably the nature of this league that every team is going to lose games.

"The key thing when you lose a couple of games is not to get your heads down and make sure that it doesn't become a three, four or five-game run."

Appleton admits injuries and suspensions to in-form, key players has not helped the Baggies in recent weeks.

"We have lost players through injury, and they haven't just been key members of the squad," he added.

"They have been key members of the squad who have been playing very well at the times they have been injured or suspended.

"Everybody knows you go through peaks and troughs as a player but the people we have lost seem to have been on peaks at the time.

"When you get into difficult games like we have had in the last couple you tend to look for the people in form, who have won games for you before, to pull you through.

"And they haven't been there for us."

But the former Manchester United midfielder's only concern now is trying to beat the Lilywhites.

He has a lot of affection for his former employers and has been impressed by their start to the season.

"They've got to be seen as serious contenders for the play-offs at least," he said.

"They have been there every year for a while now, except for one year,when Alan Irvine first went there and did a very good job to get them out of trouble.

"They know what this league is all about, have done well in it before, and have made a good start again.

"So you have to see them as a threat."

He added: "We had a very good squad at the time I was there, with a lot of big characters.

"We didn't just do well on the pitch, we were very close socially and got on well off the pitch too.

"We often went out together away from the club and, because of that, there was a really good spirit in the team.

"Most of the time I was there, if we weren't winning a league, we were getting to the play-offs - and we won promotion to what is now the Championship.

"There were people like myself, Jon Macken, Colin Murdoch, Sean Gregan, who went on to move to West Brom, and Graham Alexander, who is still playing for Burnley.

"Then there were people like David Eyres, who did a great job for us.

"I went back there not long after I moved to West Brom, but we had already qualified for the play-offs and Gary Megson left me out.

"I think it was the last game of the normal season and he must have thought I would get booked or sent-off and be suspended for the play-offs.

"It was a shame because it would have been nice to play there again, but I understood him wanting to rest me.

"The only other time I have been back was with our youth team, when we lost in the FA Youth Cup.

"Hopefully that won't happen again this time."