Irvine will be in charge for West Brom's trip to West Ham

A senior West Brom source has told Sky Sports News HQ that Alan Irvine will be in charge for the game against West Ham on New Year's Day.

There has been intense speculation that Irvine was on the verge of being sacked following Albion's 2-0 loss at Stoke City on Sunday, a result that was their seventh defeat in nine games and left the club hovering just above the Premier League's relegation zone.

Baggies fans at the Britannia Stadium hurled abuse at Irvine after the final whistle as he made his way towards the tunnel, and the Scot said in his post-match press conference that his future was out of his hands.

Asked if he still felt he would be in his job in the New Year, Irvine said: "I hope so but I'm not in control of that, so I don't know.

"I believe I am (capable of turning things around) and I think the players believe we all are as well.

"But obviously, it is other people who will make decisions as far as that is concerned. I want to carry on. I want to still do this job and I want to see it turning around, and that is not going to change."

Regarding the criticism he received from the stands, Irvine said: "I can understand that people are frustrated – I'm frustrated, and so are the players.

"I can understand fans expressing that frustration. That is the nature of the job.

"If anyone is to take it, I am the person that is standing there. I stand out there and I don't hide – I'm there to be shot at. And, obviously, ultimately I make the final decisions, so, certainly, I'm prepared to take the criticism."

He added: "I don't know if they (the fans) would have necessarily wanted me to acknowledge them (as he walked past them at the end).

"What do you do in those circumstances? I just walked down the tunnel.

"I am bitterly disappointed as well, it means an awful lot to me, and I know it means an awful lot to them."

Albion defender Joleon Lescott came out in support of Irvine saying the blame for poor performances rests with the players and not the manager.

“Of course they (the fans) are entitled to their opinion,” Lescott told Sky Sports.

“Some of it is obviously harsh but they have paid their money, they have travelled up here so they are entitled to their opinion but hopefully they understand that we are trying and we are behind the manager and we want to win games.

“It’s wrong that the manager is under pressure because it is the players who are putting in the performances like that and not getting the results.

“In previous games we have made errors and conceded goals but today I can’t really say that was the case, it was just a case of we were not good enough when we had our chances and collectively as a team."

Source: Sky Sports