'WE MUST MATCH THEIR INTENSITY'

Silvera's plea for Baggies encounter

- Chris Dunlavy

PORTSMOUTH’S Sammy Silvera has the inside track on today’s opponents West Bromwich Albion.

The on-loan Middlesbrough winger is good friends with Brandon Thomas-Asante, who spent two years playing for the Baggies before joining Coventry in the summer.

“It’s kind of a convoluted story but my best mate from Australia played with Brandon at Salford and we kind of got to know each other through Facebook and stuff,” explains 23-year-old Silvera, who was born in London but grew up in Sydney.

“Every time I’d chat to him after a game or before a game I would be like ‘Wow, you guys are just relentless’. If they weren’t back defending they were pressing, they were running, they were challenging for 50-50s. They’re just a really good team who never, ever stop.”