Afternoon all. While there has been a lot of talk about the closest Premier League title race in years, the relegation fight is also an intriguing one. Here, we will be covering West Bromwich Albion vs. Cardiff City, with both sides in dire need of the three points.

It's obviously a huge encounter, but before we talk a little more in depth about it, the team news from The Hawthorns has been released. Let's start with the home team...

WEST BROM XI: Foster; Reid, McAuley, Dawson, Ridgewell; Morrison, Mulumbu, Dorrans, Amalfitano, Sessegnon; Vydra

WEST BROM SUBS: Myhill, Lugano, Berahino, Thievy, Gera, O'Neil, Roofe

Pepe Mel has made two alterations to his starting lineup, with Thievy Bifouma and Victor Anichebe dropping out of the side that was beaten away at Hull City last time out. The players to benefit are Morgan Amalfitano and Matej Vydra, who will take up advanced roles.

And now for visiting Cardiff...

CARDIFF XI: Marshall; Fabio, Turner, Caulker, Theophile-Catherine, Taylor; Medel, Mutch, Gunnarsson; Bellamy, Campbell

CARDIFF SUBS: Lewis, Whittingham, Jones, Cowie, Cala, Daehli, Zaha

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has decided to stick with the 3-5-2 formation that he has deployed of late, although he has made two changes in defence. Juan Cala and Declan John have dropped out, with Andrew Taylor and Ben Turner being reinstated. Elsewhere, veteran frontman Craig Bellamy will offer support to Frazier Campbell, while Aron Gunnarsson has been included in the midfield.

Right then, while a lot of the focus will be on tonight's match between Arsenal and Manchester City, you could make a very good argument that this is the biggest game in the Premier League today. It's an encounter that neither side dares to lose really. First of all, let's look at it from a West Brom point of view...

The Baggies are 16th and just three points above the relegation zone. A win today would give them some breathing space, but a defeat will bring with it a whole host of problems. They have a better goal difference than their rivals so would be unlikely to drop into the bottom three, but the pressure would really be on nonetheless.

As for Cardiff, they are fast running out of matches. They are three points off safety, while their goal difference of -32 gives them an extra point deficit as well. While many have pointed to their home form as being crucial to their survival chances, it's games like today that are equally as vital. If they were to lose and Fulham beat Everton tomorrow, the Bluebirds would end the weekend bottom.

Solskjaer did not speak to the press before this match, but his assistant Mark Dempsey did. Here's some of what he had to say: "It's not a case of banning talk of the Championship. We don't have to. We just never mention it.

"We are here to keep Cardiff City in the Premiership and that starts with today's game against West Brom. It's a massive game and one that we are capable of getting a result from."

As for Mel, who left a struggling Real Betis side earlier in the season, he said: "I have friends who are players, coaches and staff at Betis but I have too much to do here at the moment. Over in Spain they are my team. I am a fan, a former player, my family are supporters. I don't want them to go down and I don't want that to happen here, either.

"The fact WBA could go down isn't even something that enters into my head. Yes, I have part of the responsibility for the situation at Betis – I was there until December – but this is my main aim now."

There will be a decent away following at The Hawthorns today:

PREDICTION: So, with not long now until we get underway, let's have a stab at guessing the outcome of this one. I'm expecting a nervy encounter, with perhaps not many chances. Let's sit on the fence a little and say a 1-1 draw, which in the grand scheme of things, helps neither team!

Right, the two teams are on the pitch and the handshakes have been completed. There's a decent atmosphere in the Black Country - let's hope that the game lives up to it.

KICKOFF! Hosting West Brom, attacking from left to right, get us underway at The Hawthorns. Big 90 minutes ahead.

What a fantastic start for the hosts and what a goal that was from their French winger. A long punt forward from goalkeeper Ben Foster causes problems and when the ball drops wide to Amalfitano on the right flank, he hooks it over a stranded David Marshall and into the far corner of the Cardiff goal. The home fans are jubilant - what a big goal that could turn out to be.

Cardiff are really struggling to cope with West Brom right now. They are buoyant after that opener and are making all the running. It's important that the visitors don't concede another any time soon because that could well end the game.

And that could be curtains for Cardiff as far as this encounter is concerned. Amalfitano turns provider this time with a lofted pass that picks out Vydra at the back post. Instead of shooting, the striker plays the ball across the face of goal for an advancing Dorrans, who was never going to miss from six yards out. Great start for West Brom but a it's been a real nightmare opening nine minutes for Cardiff.

Cardiff, as you can imagine, look a little shaken. Their passing has been wayward to say the least and defensively it appears that they might concede every time that West Brom venture forward. This could turn out to be a long afternoon.

First venture forward from Cardiff as a low cross causes problems to the West Brom defence, but as Campbell slides in, his route to goal is blocked off and Foster is able to collect the ball with ease. Nevertheless, it's a positive sign from the away side.

After that attack a few minutes ago, Cardiff have done very little going forward. West Brom, meanwhile, are happy to keep possession whenever possible. The next goal in this encounter could well prove to be a big one.

Talking to BBC Sport, here is what Robbie Savage has made of the action so far:

"Cardiff can't defend, they might have thought they turned the corner with three goals against Liverpool last week but they conceded six which is the major problem. You have to follow your runners and they didn't do that for the second goal by Graham Dorrans."

Anything Amalfitano can do...If Mutch has meant that, it's some goal from the Cardiff midfielder. It looked as though it would be easier to cross from where he was, but from 35 yards out, he has picked out the top corner of Foster's net. Game on, that's for sure.

All of a sudden there is a very different atmosphere inside The Hawthorns. The home fans were in party mood, but they are extremely worried now.

SUBSTITUTION: Solskjaer has decided to make a change and it's Fabio that is coming off. The Brazilian doesn't look injured, so it could well be a tactical alteration. Manchester United loanee Wilfried Zaha has come on in his place.

There is a lot more confidence about Cardiff and their general play right now. There is much more urgency about the passing and the movement. It's almost like they don't want the break to come.

There will be three minutes of stoppage time at the end of this first half.

There goes the whistle to bring an end to what has been an extremely entertaining 45 minutes of football at the bottom end of the Premier League.

From a West Brom point of view, they couldn't have wished for a better start. However, since the deficit was halved, there has been a real nervousness about their play, which has been passed on to the supporters as well. It's really important that they regain their composure during the interval because Cardiff looked the favourites to score the game's fourth goal.

Solskjaer, meanwhile, will have been fuming after nine minutes. His side were ran ragged and could have ended up being out of the game. Having weathered that storm, though, they've played some good football and while the goal may have come against the run of play, it's improved the Cardiff performance.

A stat from that first half:

RESTART! Right, the players are back with us and Cardiff, who trail 2-1, get the second half underway.

Positive start to the half from West Brom as Ridgewell raids down the left flank. He gets to the byline, but his low cross is cut out by Caulker, who is able to clear for a corner. Cardiff initially struggle to wipe out the danger, but Craig Dawson helps them by firing over the top.

SUBSTITUTION: Incidentally, there was a second change from Cardiff boss Solskjaer at the break as Mats Moller Daehli replaced the ineffective Gunnarsson. Moments later, Mulumbu fires wide from the edge of the box for West Brom.

CHANCE! James Morrison wastes a very good opening to restore West Brom's two-goal margin. First Marshall races off his line to block Vydra's low shot. The rebound falls for Morrison on the edge of the area, but under pressure from Theophile-Catherine, the Scotland international can only fire an effort way over the crossbar.

After those chances for West Brom, very little has happened at The Hawthorns. We've reached a point in proceedings where both teams know that a mistake is likely to prove extremely costly.

BOOKING! The only thing to discuss of note over the last few minutes is a caution that was shown to West Brom goalscorer Dorrans. It's the right decision because although he only had eyes for the ball, he caught Theophile-Catherine with a late sliding challenge.

To be fair to Cardiff, they are trying to push forward, but too often their passing in the final third is letting them down. It could soon be time for the introduction of Peter Whittingham from the bench - the midfielder is capable of producing dangerous crosses.

SUBSTITUTION: First change for West Brom and it's the man that opened the scoring - Amalfitano - that is coming off. Young attacker Saido Berahino replaces him.

What a big goal this could turn out to be for Cardiff. Medel sends a free kick into the Cardiff box from 40 yards out. He aims for the back post, where Caulker rises above two West Brom defenders to head goalwards. The loop on the ball catches out Foster, who cannot scamper back quick enough as it nestles in the corner of his net. The away end at The Hawthorns explodes - can their team go on to win this?!

SUBSTITUTION: Another change for West Brom and it's Vydra, who was lively during the first half, that is replaced by Thievy Bifouma. Also, Cardiff's Bellamy has been booked for dissent, surprisingly!

We've got a stoppage time play because Cardiff midfielder Medel is down with an ankle injury. He appears to be in some pain, so might not be able to continue.

SUBSTITUTION: Final change of the contest for West Brom and it's Dorrans that leaves the action to be replaced by veteran Hungarian midfielder Zoltan Gera.

SUBSTITUTION: It appeared that Kenwyne Jones was going to come on for Cardiff, but Medel cannot shake off that ankle complaint and so Whittingham has been thrown on for the final few minutes by Solskjaer.

There will be four minutes of stoppage time for one of these sides to find a winning goal.

What a stupendous end to this match!! Bifouma's goal from close range looked to have sealed the three points, but in time added on in stoppage time, Cardiff broke West Brom hearts! The hosts couldn't clear Zaha's low cross from the right and when the ball broke for Daehli, he found enough space to somehow squeeze the ball inside Foster's near post. The celebrations, as you would imagine, were huge!

What a stupendous end to this contest! It appeared that Bifouma had sealed all three points when he scored in stoppage time, but in what was a mad ending, Cardiff went up the other end to equalise with virtually the last kick of the match. West Brom failed to clear Zaha's low cross and when the ball broke for Daehli, he somehow squeezed it inside Foster's post. The Cardiff celebrations, as you can imagine, were wild!

Now that we have regained our composure, it's time for us to go! Thanks for joining us this afternoon and until next time, goodbye.