West Brom risk being cast further adrift at the bottom of the Premier League as they travel to Bournemouth on Saturday.
The Baggies will equal their club record of seven successive Premier League defeats if they lose, having picked up only eight points from 16 games since Alan Pardew took over.
Pardew, who has held "clear-the-air" talks with West Brom's board this week to address speculation over his future, said: "It's about players performing.
"The senior players need to deliver otherwise we won't be in with a shout of staying up. If we aren't in with a shout, then I'll need to look to the future. We didn't give ourselves a chance last weekend."
Bournemouth are on a run of four games without a win themselves - but only Manchester City and Tottenham have lost fewer games since Christmas than the Cherries.
Despite having a fine record against bottom-half teams and West Brom's current struggles, boss Eddie Howe insists they will not take their visitors lightly.
"The difficulty of this game is the expectation will be on us," he said. "I can assure you there will be no complacency within the dressing room, absolutely no chance."
Team news
Ryan Fraser and Josh King are among a number of injury doubts for Bournemouth. Winger Fraser has not trained due to a back problem, while Howe is hopeful forward King should be available to play following a neck issue.
Howe said a couple of unnamed players are also struggling with niggles, while defender Tyrone Mings continues his rehabilitation from a back problem.
West Brom will be without midfielder Gareth Barry (knee) but captain Jonny Evans could feature after overcoming illness while striker Daniel Sturridge (hamstring) and midfielder Nacer Chadli (thigh) are both expected back in training next week.
Midfielder James Morrison continues to struggle with an Achilles injury.
Opta stats
- After winning two and drawing one of their first three Premier League games against West Brom, Bournemouth have lost both of the last two.
- West Brom are winless in their last 14 away league games, losing the last three without scoring. They last lost four in a row without a goal in February 2011.
- The Cherries have scored in each of their last 11 Premier League games. However, they have kept just one clean sheet in that time, conceding in 16 of their last 17 in total.
- None of the 11 previous teams to have had 20 or fewer points from 30 Premier League games have survived. The last side to do so in the top-flight were Crystal Palace in 1969-70 (20 points when converted to three for a win).
Merson's prediction
West Brom are gone now after losing 4-1 at home to Leicester in a game they needed to win. They are just seeing the season out now. I know Bournemouth got beat at home to Tottenham but they are strong at home. Before that defeat they scored two goals in their last five home game, and I expect them to keep that trend going against the Baggies.
PAUL PREDICTS: 2-0 (7/1 with Sky Bet)