WEST BROMWICH ALBION v SOUTHAMPTON
Barclays Premier League
Monday 5th November 2012, 8pm
The Hawthorns

MATCH NOTES

Albion have lost their two previous Premier League matches that took place on Bonfire Night - Arsenal away last season (0-3) and West Ham United away in 2005/06 (0-1).

Southampton are currently the only team in the four divisions to have not won a point away from home this season.

If selected, Graham Dorrans will make his 100th start for Albion whilst keeper Ben Foster will make his 50th start.

TEAM NEWS

Albion

Midfielder Chris Brunt and defender Billy Jones have recovered from hamstring and knee injuries respectively and are in contention for a place in the squad.

Argentinian midfielder Claudio Yacob faces a late fitness test  and Baggies’ boss Steve Clarke is also hoping Shane Long will have shaken off the hamstring injury which led to his non-inclusion in the Republic of Ireland squad for the forthcoming friendly with Greece.

Defender Steven Reid is once again ruled out.

Squad from: Foster, Myhill, Daniels, Jones, McAuley, Olsson, Tamas, Dawson, Jara Reyes, Popov, Ridgewell, Mulumbu, Yacob, Brunt, Dorrans, Morrison, El Ghanassy, Gera, Fortune, Odemwingie, Lukaku, Long, Rosenberg.

Southampton

Record signing, Uruguayan playmaker Gaston Ramirez, looks set to return for the Saints after being out for five weeks with a thigh injury whilst Jack Cork could also return following his knee injury.

Frazer Richardson will miss out due to a groin problem.

Squad from: K Davis, Gazzaniga, Boruc, Cork, Butterfield, Stephens, Clyne, Fox, Shaw, Yoshida, Hooiveld, Fonte, Seaborne, Ward-Prowse, Do Prado, Chaplow, De Ridder, Lallana, Ramirez, Schneiderlin, Lee, Puncheon, S Davis, Lambert, Rodriguez, Mayuka.

QUOTES

Baggies' boss Steve Clarke:

"It's going to be something different for us. We are suddenly in a situation we haven't found ourselves in before in having lost a couple of games. People maybe are looking at us a little bit so there is a question to be answered. But the lads have played well and that is the message we have tried to give the players to take forward into the next game.

"We have told them that if they continue to play as they have against two really good teams, and as long as the performance levels stays the same, then the results will follow.

"Nigel (Adkins) has had two successive promotions and done a great job for the club. Unfortunately the game now is a results-driven industry and you don't get as long sometimes as you deserve to get. But Southampton have had some good performances. I've seen them on a number of occasions this season.

"They are a team we will treat with 100 per cent respect. We expect a really difficult game. Nigel's teams always like to pass the ball. They are dangerous, can create chances and score goals. It gets highlighted that they have conceded a few as well and that's up to us to try and exploit but we have to make sure we defend very well. If we do that, we have a chance of getting a good result."

Saints' manager Nigel Adkins:

"West Brom have a good record at home - they are a solid side who are very good on the counter attack. They have been in the Premier League before having yo-yoed a little bit but they look a very well run, well-managed football club. They have a way of playing which suits them, they have a good manager there and some good football players.

"There is a great vision here at Southampton Football Club and what we have got to do is concentrate on what we do - a lot of other clubs can be highlighted but we need to focus on ourselves.

"The stability has been here and we need everyone to stick together because we have been very successful over the past few years. We are financially well-run, and you can see with all of the building work that is going on all the time and the recruitment of players that investment coming in. It's a challenge we will embrace. We have scored in all of our games bar one so we are looking forward to it."

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MATCH ODDS

Result

Albion Win: 3/4, Southampton Win: 7/2, Draw: 11/4.

First Goalscorer

Long 5/1, Lukaku 11/2, Odemwingie 6/1, Lambert 7/1, Fortune 8/1, Rosenberg 8/1, Rodriguez 9/1, do Prado 10/1, Lallana 10/1, Lee 10/1, Mayuka 10/1, Dorrans 11/1, Morrison 11/1, Brunt 12/1, Gera 12/1, El Ghanassy 14/1, Puncheon 14/1, Davis 16/1, De Ridder 16/1, Mulumbu 18/1, Ward-Prowse 18/1.

REFEREE

Mark Halsey (Lancashire) - Refereed three Albion games last season - The 1-0 win at Norwich City in September, the 1-0 defeat at Spurs in January and the 1-1 draw against Fulham at Craven Cottage in February.

TICKET INFORMATION

Tickets are currently on general sale to home fans. Tickets will remain on sale to Saints' fans via the St Mary's Ticket Office until midday on Monday.

WEATHER FORECAST

Clear, cold and dry, 3°C.

FIXTURE HISTORY

LAST LEAGUE MEETING AT THE HAWTHORNS

Albion 1-1 Southampton
Coca-Cola League Championship
Monday 28th April  2008, 7:45pm

Albion: Kiely, Hoefkens, Barnett, Clement, Robinson, Gera, Greening (Moore 81), Koren, Morrison (Brunt 64), Miller (Bednar 69), Phillips. Subs not used: Danek, Albrechtsen.

Goalscorer: Brunt 84.

Booked: Hoefkens 38 (foul), Clement 79 (foul).

Southampton: Richard Wright, Jermaine Wright, Perry, Lucketti, Surman, Viafara, Idiakez, Safri (Dyer 62), Euell, Saganowski (Lallana 74), John (Wright-Phillips 74). Subs not used: Davis, Licka.

Goalscorer: Lallana 77.

Booked: Euell 42 (foul), Perry 49 (foul), Idiakez 74 (foul).

Attendance: 26,167

Referee: Lee Mason (Lancashire)

Chris Brunt's late goal put West Brom on the brink of promotion to the Premier League for the third time in seven seasons. Adam Lallana had stunned the home fans by putting Southampton ahead at The Hawthorns with just 13 minutes of this Championship match to go - and temporarily taking the relegation-threatened Saints out of the bottom three, But fellow substitute Brunt drilled a low shot under the body of goalkeeper Richard Wright six minutes later to spark off scenes of wild celebration amongst the Baggies fans. It meant Tony Mowbray's side moved ahead of previous leaders Stoke on goal difference with just one game remaining.

The Baggies would have to lose at QPR while Hull, the only side who can deny them promotion, would have to win at Ipswich and manufacture a 12-goal swing. Therefore it is understandable to see why Albion's fans believe they are already promoted after invading the pitch at the final whistle. Mowbray's side have gained their reward for sticking to their manager's principles of playing open and free-flowing football in a season which has produced more than 100 goals in all competitions. Ironically, this was one of their least convincing performances - but no-one can deny them their reward from a campaign rich in entertainment. Southampton remain 22nd because of an inferior goal difference to Leicester and will have to hope their result against Sheffield United is better than the Foxes' one at Stoke if they are to survive.

Richard Wright blocked a fierce drive from Kevin Phillips but Albion's 24-goal leading scorer had strayed marginally offside in collecting a pass from Ishmael Miller. Phillips, who has still to resolve his future with the Baggies, created a yard of space for himself with a neat turn just outside the Southampton box but former Albion defender Chris Perry made a timely interception. A neat pass from Zoltan Gera almost picked out a powerful run from Phillips but his first touch let him down and the ball ran harmlessly out for a goal-kick. Albion skipper Jonathan Greening went close with a stinging long-range attempt which was just too high after Youssef Safri had only half-cleared. Phillips was guilty of an embarrassing miss when he spooned the ball over from two yards out - but much to his relief the flag was raised for offside. Southampton looked to have strong claims for a penalty when Neil Clement appeared to handle a cross from Jason Euell before Marek Saganowski fired over from close range. West Brom right-back Carl Hoefkens became the first player to be yellow carded for a challenge on John and then Euell was cautioned for a foul on his former Charlton team-mate Dean Kiely.

Perry suffered the same punishment four minutes into the second period when hauling down Miller in full flight. Another darting run by Miller ended with Richard Wright deflecting his low shot for a corner. Albion looked more purposeful and playing with a higher tempo as James Morrison dragged a shot wide after some delightful one-touch football. Then Perry was relieved when a shot from Miller deflected off him just past the post with Richard Wright wrong-footed. Richard Wright blocked a Phillips header at point blank range before Lallana broke the deadlock from a narrow angle after racing onto a pass from Jermaine Wright. Clement came close to equalising when his downward header from Brunt's corner bounced over the bar. But eventually Albion's perseverance paid off as Brunt drilled a low shot under the body of Richard Wright to put them within touching distance of the top flight.

Sporting Life

CURRENT CONNECTIONS

Richard Chaplow spent three years at The Hawthorns after joining Albion from Burnley in January 2005. He struggled to pin down a first team place during his time with the Baggies and moved onto Preston North End in January 2008. He would spend three years at Deepdale before joining Southampton, initially on loan. The Accrington born midfielder also spent three months on loan at the Saints in early 2006 whilst an Albion player.

PAST CONNECTIONS

Amongst the players to have turned out at various levels for both clubs are: Jack Bowden, Tommy Broad, Harry Brown, David Burnside, Mickey Evans, Sammy Farrington, Ricardo Fuller, Bruce Grobbelaar, Harry Hadley, Ian Hamilton, Ivan Katalinic, Billy Light, Graham Lovett, Mike McCartney, Roddy McLeod, Nigel Quashie, Carlton Palmer, Pedro Pele, Chris Perry, Graham Potter, John Reynolds, Uwe Rosler, Terry Simpson, David Speedie, Derek Statham, Andy Townsend and Stuart Williams.

ALL-TIME LEAGUE & CUP RECORD VS SOUTHAMPTON