It is too tempting and too easy to look ahead and identify certain fixtures for wins.

But we all do it, don’t we?

Are players or managers equally guilty? Maybe, but they would not admit to it.

But it is certainly a trap into which those of us on the outside can fall.

Losing away to Norwich at the end of a week of celebration doesn’t really matter.

Just watch them win the title at home to Bristol City instead.

Don’t worry too much about the worsening Premier League position during the FA Cup run.

Enjoy Wembley and pick up the league points required at home to Southampton, Bournemouth and Cardiff.

This time last year how many of us were eyeing a run of games against Aston Villa, Bournemouth, West Ham and Watford as a chance for Albion to distance themselves from danger?

Or thinking wins would come this season when West Brom, Burnley and Sheffield United visited the Amex?

It doesn’t work like that.

You can identify opportunities but they are not always taken.

I personally believe Albion will get the wins they need this season.

But I would not like to predict when.

Still, Fulham at home has to be an opportunity. For both teams.

The sides currently either side of the cut-off line meet at the Amex tomorrow.

A win takes Albion eight points clear of the Cottagers, who they should have beaten on the road before Christmas.

But you would not be an Albion fan if you weren’t looking at the table and also working out the immediate consequences of an away win.

It will not settle anything but Fulham’s visit feels like a big game.

Getting Graham Potter to agree with that is the easy part What you will not hear is him saying it is bigger than any other.

He told reporters: “All the games are big for everybody in the Premier League.

“Everybody wants to win, three points are important.

“It’s the same for Scott (Parker) and Fulham as it is for us.

“We’re in a good moment but you have to start again in the game.

“We have been through a tough period where we didn’t win for a while “It was nice to get that win against Leeds.

“It was good to come through that tough week again Newport County, Manchester City and Leeds. The Man City performance was quite good.

“Our performances this season have been good in general.

“The only times I can think when they weren’t is against Leicester and a half against West Brom.

“It’s the same at Fulham.

“They have performed well and in some games they have been a bit unlucky “You can see that their performances have been strong. It will be a tough game.”

There were a couple of theories being fired at Potter as he answered questions via Zoom yesterday.

One was that the onus was on Albion more than Fulham to win given they are at home.

(Which in turn led to that awful home record being brought up).

The other was that, given their five-point lead over the Cottagers, it is more of a must-not-lose occasion for the Seagulls than a must-win.

Potter said: “I think you always try to approach the games to win.

“If you’re at home, I think there is naturally that long-standing thought that the onus is on you and generally that’s the case.

“But you’ve lost a massive external factor out of the game, which is the crowd, which I think does influence a lot of how the game is played to a certain extent.

“But we’re at home, we want to try and win the game.

“We also know Fulham are very strong playing against that type of thought, so there is a balance required.

“I think both teams are capable, home or away, of winning.

“Clearly we want to try and win our game because we are at home and we want to try and get three points.”

There could, of course, be another factor to throw in – and that is the current slump being suffered by Newcastle United.

Will that continue? Should both these teams be eyeing Toon as a team to overhaul? They will be in reach if they lose to Leeds tonight Either way, talk of a six-pointer at the Amex will continue.

That is the sort of game in which Albion have not fared so well at home, be it with or without fans.

West Brom, Burnley and Sheffield United this season.

Watford, Villa, and arguably Crystal Palace leading into lockdown.

POTTER DOES NOT EXPECT BUSY END TO WINDOW

The last time they safely negotiated one of these fixtures at the Amex was in beating Bournemouth more than a year ago.

Potter might not be aware that, two years ago this week, Albion went to Craven Cottage with the chance to open a 15-point lead over their hosts.

Fulham came from 2-0 down to win 4-2 but still went down.

Things are a bit tighter in the table this time with a long way to go.

Potter said: “As far as I know you only get three points for this one.

“But if we win I’ll take six, no problem!

“If you ask me, if you ask Scott, I’m sure we would both say we’d love to win. Three points would be fantastic for us.

“The reality is we have got another 50-odd points to play for in the Premier League.

“Nothing is finished in January. You have to keep fighting.

“But I’m sure both teams want to win.”