"Everyone is in the same pot.

"You train well and when you get opportunity you have to take it, as Abdoulaye has.

"He hasn't been injured for a while and has trained. So it's up to him now."

Another player who impressed against Preston North End was Gonzalo Jara.

The Chilean international played as one of two holding midfielders at Deepdale and showed the kind of feistiness Albion will need to make progress at this level.

Di Matteo added: "I said before we signed him that he's versatile.

"He can play full back and in centre of midfield.

"It's nice to see a bit of that South American blood - we need a bit of that."

*Reports linking Albion with a £2million move for Bobby Zamora are wide of the mark.