JAY-JAY Okocha has told his best friend Kanu that there is no room for sentiment in the fight for Premiership points at The Hawthorns.

The Reebok skipper says he still has much to achieve with Wanderers -- and refuses to let friendship stand in his way.

"If I play, I will be doing everything for us to win because I think we need the points more than them," Okocha said as he faced a fitness test ahead of the West Brom clash.

"We are still very ambitious and I know I can still achieve a lot here."

Fellow Nigerian Kanu, who has become much more than just an international team-mate of Okocha's, might well argue that his is the greater need since Wanderers are sitting pretty with 12 points from their first seven games while Albion have yet to record a win in league or cup since they returned to the top flight.

Baggies' fans are hoping the former Arsenal striker can do for them what Okocha has done for Wanderers but, with manager Gary Megson's position looking more vulnerable by the day, these are difficult times at The Hawthorns.

Nevertheless, Okocha believes Kanu was right to take his advice and make the move when he did.

"We talk about so many things and share our opinions," he said. "Before he went there I advised him to go. It's an opportunity for him to play games and get back to his normal level ... and he is handling it very well.

"It's a new challenge, a new opportunity for him to prove that he is still the same player, even though he has not played a lot of games over the past few years. With his qualities, I am sure he will do well.

"I've played against him before, when he was at Arsenal, but now he's with a different team, which has not won this season, so I can see it being a tough game for us.

"But no matter what the result is, we will still remain friends."

Sam Allardyce was hoping to have Okocha back in action after he missed the Birmingham game with a groin injury, but he was still complaining of discomfort when he returned to trainingon Thursday and remains a doubt for a game expected to be a tough physical battle as Albion, who have drawn their three home games so far, fight tooth and nail for their first win.

But it was to Kanu and the Welsh international, Jason Koumas, to whom Phil Brown referred when he suggested there was more to Megson's Albion than meets the eye.

"The fact that they are fighting so desperately for points is probably their biggest asset," the Wanderers assistant manager said.

"If the big lion's chasing you, you're going to run faster. But I know Gary Megson well and he is a very intelligent lad and the way his teams play suit the way he thinks.

"They are up front and all-action but with one or two subtleties. Kanu could be the catalyst for West Brom to achieve Premier League status for another season and the lad Koumas can play.

"If we underestimate them in terms of talent, they might well turn round and kick us up the backside."