Midfielder on the final three games, Arsenal and his return
GRAHAM Dorrans is determined to ensure Albion finish the season as high up the Barclays Premier League table as possible with nine points left to play for.
The Baggies head to the Emirates Stadium on Sunday (ko 1.30pm) to face an Arsenal side who are looking to secure fourth spot in the table.
Pepe Mel’s charges are currently 15th, four points and a healthy goal difference clear of those in the drop zone who have just two matches remaining, with survival not yet mathematically assured.
But Dorrans, while at the same time acknowledging Albion are not yet safe, opts to look at how far up the standings they can potentially finish.
“At the minute it’s not over yet, so we prepare for Sunday and keep going to get points,” the Scotland international said.
“There’s nine left to play for, we want to get as many as we can and finish as high up the table as we can now.
“Hopefully we won’t be looking over our shoulders but there’s still points to play for, for everybody, and we need to keep doing that.”
Albion travel to London having drawn four of their five Premier League matches in the capital this season.
The Baggies’ last success over the Gunners came courtesy of a 3-2 triumph away from home in 2010.
And Dorrans, who came off the bench as a second-half substitute that day, will be going all out for a repeat against Arsene Wenger’s Champions League-chasing outfit.
“At this stage everyone wants points, whether you’re at the top of the league or the bottom of the league,” he said.
“Arsenal are looking to secure fourth spot and we’re looking to get another couple to secure our status in this league.
“It’ll be a tough game, we know that, but we’re confident we can go there, match them, and give them a game. Hopefully we can get some points.
“Hopefully we can go there and upset them a little bit, start well and get the crowd a little bit nervous. We’ll see what happens after that.”
Having made just two league starts over the first half of the season, Dorrans goes into the encounter having started each of Albion’s last seven.
His return has coincided with the Black Country club having collected an impressive 11 points from the 21 on offer.
To cap that, Dorrans, 26, found the net in the draw at home to Cardiff before superbly finishing off a flowing counter-attack to temporarily get Albion back in the game at Manchester City.
He said: “Obviously the first half of the season I didn’t play much, it was disappointing for me but the last eight or nine games now I’ve got myself back into it.
“I’ve scored a few goals and I’m enjoying it again now. Hopefully I can keep it going for the next couple of games.
“Pepe has brought me back in and I knew as soon as I came back that the confidence would come back.
“You lose it a bit when you’ve not played for so long.
“But I was always confident in my ability and that once I got a chance then I would take it.”