Would Celtic’s Griffiths be better for West Brom than Liverpool’s Ings?

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Rather than gambling on Liverpool’s Danny Ings should West Brom instead take a look at out-of-favour Celtic striker Leigh Griffiths?

Danny Ings of Liverpool speaks with Jurgen Klopp during the Premier League match against Everton.

New West Bromwich Albion manager Alan Pardew has admitted interest in Liverpool striker Danny Ings as he seeks to improve his side’s scoring rate.

Only bottom-placed Swansea City have netted fewer goals than the Baggies’ 12 in the Premier League so far this season and as a result Pardew may turn to Ings in the January transfer window.

Alan Pardew, manager of West Bromwich Albion, looks on prior to the Premier League match against Crystal Palace.

“I’d be foolish not to say I don’t like Danny Ings because I quite like him,” the 56-year-old was quoted by the Telegraph. “It’s a shame about his injury – he’s had to battle back and everyone wishes him well.

“I haven’t even looked at January this week because of the tight schedule of the games.

“But I have seen [technical director] Nicky Hammond to pencil in a meeting to talk about that this week so maybe on Friday (December 15) I can give you a bit more of where we’re looking and what we’re looking at.”

The concern about Ings is that the 25-year-old has only played 13 times for the Reds since a 2015 switch from Burnley due to suffering two serious knee injuries.

Leigh Griffiths ties a Celtic scarf to a goal post after winning the Betfred League Cup against Motherwell.

The forward is now back with the first team and has featured twice this term, but there will be doubts over whether he can maintain his fitness in the long-term.

That is why Pardew should perhaps not take the gamble on Ings and instead focus on Leigh Griffiths, whose future at Celtic has been cast into doubt having been left out of the starting XI in recent times – even if boss Brendan Rodgers insists there isn’t a problem.

Griffiths has not played in England since a 2014 move to Parkhead from Wolverhampton Wanderers, but has scored 94 goals in 169 games for the Bhoys since, helping them to four Scottish Premiership titles, three League Cups and one Scottish Cup in the process.