West Bromwich Albion boss Roberto di Matteo is ready to go ugly against Stoke City.

Di Matteo hopes the new-found steel Albion have developed in his 16 months in charge is enough to combat the visitors' direct aerial approach at The Hawthorns.

"I don't want my team to be pretty," Di Matteo told the WBA website.

"I want my team to win games. That's the ultimate aim and result. I don't care if I need to win by playing a certain way, that's not a problem for me. I want to win games.

"If we have to be ugly to win tomorrow then we will play ugly.

"We have improved in that respect. Last season we only lost seven games in the Championship out of 46. That shows an improvement.

"This season we haven't conceded many goals from set-pieces, so we are getting better.

"It won't happen overnight and when you have to change three of the back-four then it doesn't help because it's like taking two steps back.

"But I think we're moving in the right direction."