Swansea City head to the high flying Baggies on Tuesday looking to extend their unbeaten run in the Championship.
But they know it will not be easy against Roberto Di Matteo’s team who are one of the favourites to make a Premier League place theirs come the end of the season.
And Mark Gower has predicted it will be their toughest test of the season to date as he told the Western Mail “Middlesbrough looked a strong side when they came to us
“Although we were far below our own high standards that day.
“But this game will be our toughest game of the season.
“Whoever’s top of the table is the best in the league at this precise moment, and they deserve to be there.
“I’ve watched their games on TV and they look like they can score all types of goals.
“They’re a good footballing side, much like ourselves and I’d like to think it will be a good spectacle. But we’re going there on the back of a good run ourselves.
“After a few early defeats, we had a bit of pressure on us,” said the 31-year-old winger.
“Maybe it wasn’t so much a case of pressure – perhaps it was more a case of feeling frustrated.
“We knew we could do better, but things started to creep into our game. You want to win so badly for all kinds of reasons; for yourself, the team, the manager.
“You end up trying too hard. Passes start going astray and you end up bickering with each other.
“But it shows how much we want to win.
“Without doubt, we’re playing much more as a team now.
“We’re getting used to the manager’s ideas, the new faces and we’re starting to gel.
“I think we’re starting to come out the other side now – and we feel good going into every game.
“And when you keep avoiding defeat it breeds confidence.”