Stephen Ward reckons Albion’s toughest-looking Championship tests so far will suit their style.

The Seagulls go to Reading and QPR, the teams who led the eve-of-season betting for the title, over the next week.

Ward admits they are the most challenging matches this term to date as Oscar Garcia’s men visit teams who were in the top flight last season.

But he has revealed why that can work in Albion’s favour.

He said: “Funnily enough I think these are the games that might suit us.

“Millwall came to The Amex before the international break and tried to get us out of our pattern.

“Now we might play against a team which is a bit more expansive and that might make it a bit easier for us to control the game. Hopefully playing against teams like this will make our game a lot more expansive.

“We impose ourselves on them a lot more than we could against Millwall.”

Wayne Bridge is struggling to be fit for Reading on Sunday as he battles against a knee injury. His likely stand-in Shaun Cummings, better known as a midfielder, played for Jamaica at home to Costa Rica in the early hours of yesterday, our time.

Ward, who has taken over the Albion left-back spot after arriving on loan from Wolves, knows there could be comparisons between him and Bridge, who was a big success at The Amex.

He added: “I am who I am. I've played a lot of games.

“It happens at every club. Players come and go and what matters is the here and now.

“If we can emulate what the team here did last year, that's the important thing.”