Russell Martin backs Southampton to click into gear for second leg against West Brom
Russell Martin is under pressure to deliver promotion at Southampton this season and faces a potentially pivotal match in Friday’s second leg of this Championship play-off.
Martin’s position as manager will be plunged into doubt if he fails to guide the club back into the Premier League.
For the first time since 2011, both Championship semi-final first legs finished goalless and Southampton, relegated from the top division last May, remain the favourites to progress in this tie.
With promotion said to be worth £170-200 million, the stakes are so high that tension reigns supreme in the shoot-out to reach a Wembley final.
Southampton coasted to a 25-match unbeaten run midway through the campaign but are now having to rely on this unforgiving route to promotion.
Martin expects to have Che Adams back for the second leg, after the 16-goal forward was absent for this match through injury, and is backing his players to deliver at St Mary’s.
“For us to avoid any real damage before the home leg was important and there are a lot of things we can do better on Friday,” he said. “I don’t know if it’s advantage Southampton but we definitely have another gear or two to click through.
“We miss Che a lot as he’s been probably one of our best players over the last four to five weeks, we hoped he would be ready for this one.”
In an extremely tight game of few opportunities, played in hot conditions, both goalkeepers proved the key players.
West Brom’s Alex Palmer won the Golden Glove award this season and produced an outstanding save 11 minutes from the end, pushing away substitute Ross Stewart’s deflected shot.
Alex McCarthy, of Southampton, saved twice from Grady Diangana to leave the semi-final finely balanced ahead of Friday’s rematch.
Massive saves at both ends! 😲
Unbelievable reflexes from both Alex McCarthy and Alex Palmer 🔥 pic.twitter.com/OvpvNLvBry— Sky Sports Football (@SkyFootball) May 12, 2024
Relegated from the Premier League in 2021, Albion have endured a roller-coaster season and head coach Carlos Corberan deserves huge credit for keeping his team competitive.
Until late February, there were genuine fears that West Brom could be facing a bleak future until the takeover by Shilen Patel, who was at the Hawthorns on Sunday.
Though West Brom lost both league games and finished 12 points below Southampton, Corberan already has experience of the play-offs after taking Huddersfield Town to the 2022 final.
“We have a wonderful opportunity to get into the best league in the world and there are four teams all hoping to do it,” he said. “This was the best atmosphere I have ever experienced and we know there will be 100,000 fans wanting us to win on Friday night.
“To have the chance to reach a Wembley final is so exciting and the second leg will be very demanding for all of us.”
Southampton draw at West Brom: As it happened
04:45 PM BST
Southampton manager Russell Martin speaking to the BBC
“I’m quite pleased with the result, it was a tight game against a good team In a brilliant atmosphere.
“I would have liked a clean sheet before the game so I’m happy with that, we had to defend well.
“We should have caused a few more problems for them but it isn’t easy.”
04:41 PM BST
Southampton midfielder Flynn Downes speaking to Sky
“We wore the storm early. The conditions weren’t the best for us. The pitch was a bit dry, a bit hot.
“For the first half an hour, I couldn’t breathe. I was getting burnt as well which didn’t help but you’ve got to get used to it.
“When you get to the last 20 minutes, we were thinking lets not concede. We’ve got the advantage at home now.
“You see it here. The crowd is like an extra man. Hopefully a bit of rain as well.”
04:38 PM BST
Diangana does not look like a happy man
04:36 PM BST
Will Russell Martin take that?
Southampton have the advantage of home advantage in the second leg so will they be happy with a 0-0 draw this afternoon?
04:34 PM BST
Man of the match Tom Fellows speaking to Sky
“It was a really good atmosphere and game at The Hawthorns today
“Both teams had good chances, unfortunately we couldn’t take them but we gave ourselves something to play off in the next leg.
“It will be different at their place, we will go there, give it our best and see what happens.”
04:29 PM BST
West Brom goalkeeper Alex Palmer talking to Sky
On saving Ross Stewart’s shot in the second half:
“That’s what we train for. You’ve got to stay ready, stay concentrated and that’s my job.
“It was a tight game. Chances for both teams, it was like cat and mouse.It was well contested.”
04:25 PM BST
Who will be happiest?
With the second leg at St Mary’s, you would imagine Southampton will be slight favourites but the game is still in the balance as it is in the other semi-final.
04:18 PM BST
All to play for
Both semi-final first legs ended goalless after Norwich and Leeds drew 0-0 at Carrow Road earlier. The second leg at Elland Road is on Thursday night and the other at St Mary’s is on Friday night.
04:15 PM BST
Full time
That is it at the Hawthorns and it ends goalless. The second leg at St Mary’s is on Friday night.
Finely poised heading into the second leg. pic.twitter.com/9r0DwelvvR
— West Bromwich Albion (@WBA) May 12, 2024
04:13 PM BST
90+5 mins: West Brom 0 Southampton 0
West Brom want a penalty as Diangana goes down after contact with Fraser, but the referee is having none of it. West Brom have a throw-in which Furlong sends into the box, but McCarthy punches away. It comes out to Reach, who volleys high over the bar.
04:11 PM BST
90+3 mins: West Brom 0 Southampton 0
The outswinger is sent in but Bednarek heads away really well under great pressure.
04:10 PM BST
90+2 mins: West Brom 0 Southampton 0
Furlong takes a throw quickly and gets great distance down the touchline. His quick-thinking is rewarded with a later corner...
04:08 PM BST
90 mins: West Brom 0 Southampton 0
There will be six added minutes at the end of this first leg. West Brom make their final change:
ON Reach
OFF Townsend
04:06 PM BST
88 mins: West Brom 0 Southampton 0
We are heading towards added time at the Hawthorns. Can either side nick a goal to take into the second leg?
04:03 PM BST
84 mins: West Brom 0 Southampton 0
What are you doing McCarthy? Southampton take some risks playing out from the back. West Brom win it inside the Southampton box and the shot is blocked. Southampton a little lucky there to say the least.
03:59 PM BST
81 mins: West Brom 0 Southampton 0
Four changes for West Brom:
ON Ajayi, M’Vila, Wallace, Swift
OFF Yokuslu, Asante-Thomas, Johnston, Fellows
03:57 PM BST
79 mins: West Brom 0 Southampton 0
West Brom nearly take the lead. Fellows makes a great run down the right and finds Diangana in a central position. He should score but he hits it straight at McCarthy.
Down the other end, Stewart’s deflected shot forces a good save by Palmer. Two crucial saves, one at each end.
03:53 PM BST
76 mins: West Brom 0 Southampton 0
Furlong times his challenge on Brooks inside the West Brom box just right. If not, that would have been a penalty. Southampton have a corner, which is headed away from danger.
03:51 PM BST
74 mins: West Brom 0 Southampton 0
Mowatt takes the free-kick and he lifts it over the wall but it does not have the necessary dip on it. Chance wasted by West Brom.
03:50 PM BST
73 mins: West Brom 0 Southampton 0
West Brom have a free-kick just outside the box as Harwood-Bellis is penalised. He is booked for the foul. Great position for the home side...
03:49 PM BST
72 mins: West Brom 0 Southampton 0
Triple change for Southampton:
ON Brooks, Stewart, Fraser
OFF A Armstrong, Mara, Manning
03:48 PM BST
71 mins: West Brom 0 Southampton 0
An outswinger is sent in and Bartley wins the header but it misses the target by quite some way.
03:47 PM BST
70 mins: West Brom 0 Southampton 0
Southampton wanted to make their changes but play goes on and now West Brom have a corner...
03:45 PM BST
68 mins: West Brom 0 Southampton 0
Furlong gets great distance on his long throw but McCarthy makes the catch under pressure.
03:44 PM BST
66 mins: West Brom 0 Southampton 0
As it stands Bartley is continuing, maybe it was just some cramp!
03:41 PM BST
64 mins: West Brom 0 Southampton 0
West Brom captain Bartley has gone down clutching his hamstring and this does not look good for the home side. It does not look like he will able to continue. I would be stunned if he does.
Time for a short drinks break.
03:38 PM BST
61 mins: West Brom 0 Southampton 0
Furlong comes closer. After the West Brom corner is cleared, they keep it alive. The cross from the left is sent to the far post and Furlong beats Aribo to the ball, but his stabbed effort goes just wide.
03:35 PM BST
57 mins: West Brom 0 Southampton 0
Fellows lifts a great cross to the far post but Harwood-Bellis is on hand to head away. There were no West Brom players near the end of that cross and there should have been.
The ball falls to Mowatt but his volleyed effort sails over the bar.
03:33 PM BST
55 mins: West Brom 0 Southampton 0
Johnston is booked for a challenge on Mara as he cynically takes him down in midfield.
Yokuslu then slides into a challenge and fails to get the ball, but he is lucky as he escapes without a yellow.
03:32 PM BST
54 mins: West Brom 0 Southampton 0
Aribo shoots from just inside the West Brom box but his effort is blocked by Furlong.
03:30 PM BST
52 mins: West Brom 0 Southampton 0
After a good drive forward from Downes, he finds the overlapping Manning. He sends the ball across but Bartley is on hand for West Brom to clear.
03:27 PM BST
49 mins: West Brom 0 Southampton 0
Johnston sends in a cross from the left-hand side of the box but his delivery is too heavy and flies over everyone.
03:22 PM BST
Second half
We are back under way at the Hawthorns. Ross Stewart, who is on the bench for Southampton this afternoon, has been going through some warm-ups during the interval. He only returned from a long-term injury against Leeds last weekend. He is not coming on yet but perhaps that was a sign it may not be long before he comes on.
03:19 PM BST
Adams update
Southampton are without striker Che Adams, who picked up an injury in the final regular season game against Leeds. Russell Martin confirmed before the game that the risk of playing Adams today was too great but he could be fit for the second leg.
03:11 PM BST
HT verdict
Possibly a better match than Norwich v Leeds, but it’s not been a classic at the Hawthorns. Both sides have had one chance each and it’s perfectly poised ahead of the second half.
Carlos Corberan knows all about the play-offs: he guided Huddersfield Town to the final in 2022 after squeezing past Luton in the semi. Those games were also pragmatic, cagey affairs so this will be exactly what the Spaniard was expecting.
Southampton are clearly missing injured forward Che Adams, who offers them a different threat in attack.
03:05 PM BST
Half time
That is it for the first half and a quarter of the way through this semi-final, it is goalless.
03:04 PM BST
45+2 mins: West Brom 0 Southampton 0
Southampton have a free-kick on the right, which Smallbone sends in. Yokuslu wins the header and West Brom can clear their lines.
03:03 PM BST
45 mins: West Brom 0 Southampton 0
The corner is sent in and Harwood-Bellis wins the header but he cannot get much contact on it. Palmer came out to punch it and got enough contact to get it away from danger.
There will be three added minutes.
03:01 PM BST
44 mins: West Brom 0 Southampton 0
The free-kick is sent in but Bartley emphatically heads away. The ball is sent back in though by Southampton and this time Bartley’s header is a poor one as it goes behind for a corner.
03:00 PM BST
42 mins: West Brom 0 Southampton 0
Walker-Peters is fouled near the byline on the right-hand touchline, which will give the visitors a strong position to whip in the free-kick. Walker-Peters received a little bit of treatment in the aftermath of that challenge.
02:54 PM BST
37 mins: West Brom 0 Southampton 0
Johnston is scythed down by Downes not far outside the Southampton box and rightly so Downes is booked. He went in for the sliding tackle, missed the ball and took out Johnston. The ball is clipped to the far post, where Bartley heads it back across goal but it is an easy catch for McCarthy.
02:51 PM BST
33 mins: West Brom 0 Southampton 0
West Brom could not have come any closer to taking the lead. Fellows stands up a cross from the right to the far post, where Diangana meets it. His header is saved on the line by McCarthy and goes behind for a corner. Bartley wins the header from the corner but it goes wide of the far post.
02:47 PM BST
30 mins: West Brom 0 Southampton 0
Diangana cannot keep the ball in so Southampton will have a corner on the left-hand side. Smallbone sends in the delivery, the ball loops into the air and Mara attempts an acrobatic overhead kick, but it misses the target.
02:42 PM BST
24 mins: West Brom 0 Southampton 0
We are having a short drinks break midway through the first half.
02:39 PM BST
21 mins: West Brom 0 Southampton 0
Should Southampton have scored there? The visitors win the ball high up and Aribo finds Downes in the left-hand channel of the box. His effort is saved by Palmer and the ball loops to Armstrong at the far post. His first-time volleyed effort hits the side netting. It may have been a nervy start from Southampton but they have had a couple of good chances now to take the lead.
Alex Palmer was the Golden Glove winner in the Championship this season and he’s just underlined his quality again here. West Brom’s goalkeeper produced the first save of the match, rushing off his line to block a shot from Flynn Downes.
His team have made the better start, but Saints are now edging themselves into the contest. Russell Martin’s determination to play out from the back is admirable, but it can also be very risky and there’s already been a few times when Southampton’s back three got caught out.
02:33 PM BST
16 mins: West Brom 0 Southampton 0
The corner is sent in but West Brom clear.
02:33 PM BST
15 mins: West Brom 0 Southampton 0
Southampton come very close to taking the lead. Walker-Peters picks it up on the right-hand side of the box and drives a shot towards the far corner. It takes a small deflection and goes narrowly past the post. Southampton then win another corner as Downes has an effort deflected behind. Smallbone’s delivery is headed away but moments later Southampton have another corner...
02:29 PM BST
12 mins: West Brom 0 Southampton 0
Furlong’s long throw causes some panic in the Southampton box but the offside flag goes up.
02:28 PM BST
10 mins: West Brom 0 Southampton 0
Southampton make their first foray forward as Walker-Peters makes good ground down the right. He finds Smallbone ahead of him and his cross is deflected behind for a corner. They play it short and are lucky to win another corner as the ball did not even make it into the box.
Manning’s second effort finds Harwood-Bellis, whose header goes well wide of the far post.
02:25 PM BST
8 mins: West Brom 0 Southampton 0
Johnston cuts in from the left and tries to find the far corner but he slices his effort and it goes well wide.
02:24 PM BST
6 mins: West Brom 0 Southampton 0
The ball is lifted towards the far post, where Bartley is in acres of space, but the delivery is overhit and goes behind for a goal-kick.
02:22 PM BST
5 mins: West Brom 0 Southampton 0
It is all West Brom as they win another corner after Diangana’s cross is blocked behind. Southampton cannot get out. They get rid of the initial danger but an Aribo foul on Towsend gives the home side a free-kick in a central position, around 30 yards out.
02:21 PM BST
3 mins: West Brom 0 Southampton 0
Only three minutes into the game and the hosts already have a second corner of the match. An inswinger is sent in from the right but Southampton head away from danger.
02:19 PM BST
2 mins: West Brom 0 Southampton 0
Fellows goes down inside the Southampton box after driving into the box on the right but nothing given. He did not look convinced as he went down so a penalty was never forthcoming there.
A few moments later the home side have the first corner of the match. It is sent in and the shot is blocked.
02:17 PM BST
Kick-off
After The Liquidator, which will be familiar to Chelsea fans, rings around the Hawthorns, we are under way.
02:14 PM BST
Kick-off fast approaching
Both sides have emerged from the tunnel and we are just moments away from kick-off at the Hawthorns.
02:10 PM BST
Reminder of the team news
West Brom: Palmer, Furlong, Bartley, Kipre, Towsend, Mowatt, Yokuslu, Fellows, Diangana, Johnston, Thomas-Asante,
Substitutes: Griffiths, Reach, Ajayi, Chalobah, M’Vila, Swift, Phillips, Weimann, Wallace.
Southampton: McCarthy, Walker-Peters, Harwood-Bellis, Bednarek, Stephens, Manning, Downes, Smallbone, Aribo, A Armstong, Mara.
Substitutes: Lumley, Bree, Charles, Rothwell, Brooks, Fraser, Edozie, Kamaldeen, Stewart.
02:06 PM BST
Visitors warming up
— Southampton FC (@SouthamptonFC) May 12, 2024
02:00 PM BST
Home support
You guys. 🥰 pic.twitter.com/pFczFChzDp
— West Bromwich Albion (@WBA) May 12, 2024
01:55 PM BST
Result at Carrow Road
The other semi-final has just finished and Norwich and Leeds have drawn 0-0, with the second leg at Elland Road to come on Thursday. You can follow all the reaction live here.
01:53 PM BST
Home side gearing up
Warm-ups underway. 👊 pic.twitter.com/0nIdO30tSA
— West Bromwich Albion (@WBA) May 12, 2024
01:50 PM BST
Warm welcome, literally!
A special welcome. 🫶 pic.twitter.com/sll5yoL39m
— West Bromwich Albion (@WBA) May 12, 2024
01:44 PM BST
Percy’s Preview
Southampton did the double over West Brom and finished 12 points above them - but this is the play-offs and none of that usually matters.
It was only a few months ago that Saints had gone 25 games unbeaten but they now find themselves relying on this unforgiving route to promotion.
West Brom have been in and around the top six all season under their manager “King” Carlos Corberan, and there is a clear vibe that there’s absolutely no pressure on them whatsoever.
Albion’s new owner, Shilen Patel, is at the Hawthorns for this first leg.
01:38 PM BST
Full team news
West Brom are unchanged from their 3-0 win at home against Preston on the final day of the regular season.
West Brom: Palmer, Furlong, Bartley, Kipre, Towsend, Mowatt, Yokuslu, Fellows, Diangana, Johnston, Thomas-Asante,
Substitutes: Griffiths, Reach, Ajayi, Chalobah, M’Vila, Swift, Phillips, Weimann, Wallace.
Southampton make just the one change from their 2-1 win at Leeds in their last game. Sekou Mara replaces Che Adams, who is not in the matchday squad.
Southampton: McCarthy, Walker-Peters, Harwood-Bellis, Bednarek, Stephens, Manning, Downes, Smallbone, Aribo, A Armstong, Mara.
Substitutes: Lumley, Bree, Charles, Rothwell, Brooks, Fraser, Edozie, Kamaldeen, Stewart.
01:33 PM BST
Visitors arrive
Counting down to play-off action at The Hawthorns ⏳ pic.twitter.com/IItpfIAT7F
— Southampton FC (@SouthamptonFC) May 12, 2024
01:28 PM BST
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01:23 PM BST
Hosts in the house
An #EFLPlayOff welcome for the boys. 🫡 pic.twitter.com/ZRkvge32rE
— West Bromwich Albion (@WBA) May 12, 2024
01:16 PM BST
Southampton team news
Your semi-final SAINTS 🖤💛 pic.twitter.com/wkEMoV2Rs6
— Southampton FC (@SouthamptonFC) May 12, 2024
01:15 PM BST
West Brom team news
Your Albion XI. 📋
𝗨𝗧𝗔! 🤩@BarberbossUK | #EFLPlayOffs pic.twitter.com/drUedghRYO— West Bromwich Albion (@WBA) May 12, 2024
01:00 PM BST
Hawthorns poised for Act I
The Hawthorns is the scene for the first leg of the Championship semi-final between West Brom and Southampton.
Southampton finished the regular season with a 2-1 victory over Leeds at Elland Road, having lost the three games prior to that victory. They ended up in fourth place, 12 points clear of their opponents this afternoon. They have just one EFL play-off appearance previously, where they lost to Derby County in the Championship semi-final in 2006-07.
Of their 23 home games in the league this season, West Brom won 15 and lost just four. But Southampton did win 11 times on the road. West Brom manager Carlos Corberan has experience of making the Championship play-off final, only to see his Huddersfield side lose at Wembley to Nottingham Forest in the final. Going into the play-offs, Carlos Corberan’s side have won just twice in their last six games. They secured a victory on the final day of the regular season with a 3-0 home victory over Preston, having lost the three games prior to that.
Southampton did the league double over West Brom, winning 2-1 at St Mary’s in November and 2-0 at the Hawthorns in February. Southampton manager Russell Martin was delighted with the way that his side played against today’s hosts back in that win at the Hawthorns a few months back.
“We played brilliantly at West Brom,” Martin said. “If we can reach those levels of performance again then I will be very happy.
“It’s a big test on Sunday. It’s going to be a tough game. But, in the play-offs, you wouldn’t expect anything else.”
Of the last eight meetings between the sides, West Brom have lost seven of those games, winning just once. The second leg at St Mary’s will take place on Friday night.
Team news to follow shortly.