Ruud words primed Salomon Rondon for Premier League challenge
West Brom striker Salomon Rondon has revealed how Ruud van Nistelrooy and Juan Mata helped him prepare for the Premier League.
The B#12million forward believes he has got to grips with life in England after learning from former Manchester United striker Van Nistelrooy.
He played with the Dutchman, who scored 95 Premier League goals in 150 appearances, at Malaga before leaving in 2012.
Rondon has three goals in 12 games for Albion this season and 13 in 52 appearances having adapted to the Premier League and the English language since joining in 2015.
The Baggies signed him following a three-year spell in Russia with Rubin Kazan and Zenit St Petersburg, and the 27-year-old has impressed after also speaking to current United midfielder Mata as they share the same agent - Mata's father.
"I know Juan quite well. When I arrived he told me how good the Premier League was," said the Venezuela international, ahead of Monday's visit of Burnley.
"I saw Ruud when he was training and he is a good person. He spoke to me about football and for my career it was a good experience. He spoke to me about my movement and finishing, he got involved with my learning. He was an influential figure because I learned a lot from him.
"He always said how good the Premier League was and about its traditions. The league is difficult but now when I play games I feel good. I can do better."
Rondon has recovered from a hamstring injury which forced him out of two World Cup qualifying matches for Venezuela but record signing Nacer Chadli remains out after minor knee surgery. Saido Berahino is close to full fitness but this match could come too soon for the striker.
Burnley boss Sean Dyche has ordered his players to ignore rising expectations as they prepare for the clash with the Baggies having cracked the Premier League's top 10.
The Clarets' last-gasp win over Crystal Palace two weeks ago lifted Dyche's men to an impressive ninth place and served to further suggest that top-flight survival is far from beyond them.
But Dyche insists his players have good reason not to get carried away by their recent surge in fortune - pointing out Chelsea boss Antonio Conte as a recent example of how quickly things can change.
He said: "I think it changes in the Premier League almost weekly, depending on whether you've had a good result or a bad result.
"Conte was rumoured to be under pressure, then after three more games he was amazing and it was champions-elect kind of thinking.
"I think there is a lower expectation here. It is slightly bigger than last time but I think if you look at the division most of the press and the pundits are not giving us much of a chance even though we've had a solid start.
"We're used to that. I certainly tell them (the players) not to be affected by it - to not even think about it. However people are judging us - good, bad or indifferent - is not really relevant to me personally."
Burnley's solid start to the campaign is in contrast to their ultimately ill-fated season in the top-flight two years ago and Dyche acknowledged improvements on and off the pitch have left them much better equipped to survive.
He added: "We're better placed as a club but the challenge is still enormous. The whole club is better geared up for it and on the pitch we'll see - we've made a really solid start but that doesn't (mean we're safe)."
Ashley Barnes and Andre Gray are both pushing to start at the Hawthorns while defender Stephen Ward could be set for a return after missing the win over Palace with a hamstring strain.
Source: PAR
