Southampton saw their hopes of a top-four finish in the Premier League suffer another blow on Saturday with a 1-0 defeat away to West Bromwich Albion.
The only goal of the game arrived inside the opening two minutes as Saido Berahino fired an unstoppable half-volley past the helpless Fraser Forster.
Ronald Koeman's side pushed hard for an equaliser as the game went on, but they were unable to get past the dogged West Brom defence.
Read Sports Mole's minute-by-minute report below to find out how all of the action unfolded at The Hawthorns.
Hello and welcome to Sports Mole's live text coverage of this afternoon's Premier League meeting between West Bromwich Albion and Southampton at The Hawthorns. The Baggies can take a step closer to safety today, while the Saints will be looking to get their bid for European qualification back in track. Team news will be through shortly.
WEST BROM: Foster; Dawson, McAuley, Lescott; Brunt, Morrison, Yacob, Fletcher, Gardner; Ideye, Berahino
WEST BROM SUBS: Myhill, Wisdom, Olsson, Baird, Mulumbu, McManaman, Sessegnon
Following their goalless draw away to Sunderland last weekend, West Brom boss Tony Pulis has opted to keep the same XI that started at the Stadium of Light. Joleon Lescott, Darren Fletcher, Brown Ideye and Saido Berahino are all included, while Callum McManaman and Stephane Sessegnon are among the substitutes.
SOUTHAMPTON: Forster; Clyne, Fonte, Yoshida, Gardos, Bertrand; Wanyama, Schneiderlin, Tadic, Mane; Pelle
SOUTHAMPTON SUBS: K Davis, Long, S Davis, Djuricic, Ward-Prowse, Elia, Targett
Meanwhile, after seeing his side lose 2-0 at home to Liverpool last Sunday, Southampton manager Ronald Koeman has made a total of five changes to his team. Florin Gardos, Ryan Bertrand, Morgan Schneiderlin, Dusan Tadic and Sadio Mane are all recalled, while James Ward-Prowse and Matt Targett are two of the players who are forced out.
UPDATE! Before we go any further it's worth mentioning that today's early kickoff at Upton Park is producing something of an upset. Crystal Palace currently lead West Ham United 3-0, though the visitors have just had Glenn Murray sent off. There's around 20 minutes left to play in that one and we'll let you know the full-time score as soon as it's through.
Anyway, back to business. West Brom head into this match on a three-game unbeaten run in the Premier League, pushing them up to 14th place in the table. Tony Pulis's side have taken five points from the last nine on offer, which has made them start looking towards the top half of the standings rather than the drop zone. A win this afternoon could push them as high as 12th.
Southampton's hopes of a top-four finish were dented last weekend as they went down 2-0 at home to rivals Liverpool. Ronald Koeman's men have struggled for form in recent weeks, winning just one of their previous four matches. However, a victory today could see them leapfrog Manchester United and Arsenal into third spot.
Ronald Koeman: "We will play a lot for our chances for a high position in the table in the next two games. We have to realise that. We have to be prepared for that. I think we're doing well, if you go back to the game against Liverpool, we played well.
"We deserved much more than we got (against Liverpool). Now it's about being more effective. That's maybe the question at the moment. We're not effective enough to score and to win games. [But] the total feel of the team? I am happy."
Tony Pulis: "They have had a wonderful season and I think their record stands testament to the way they've played. Ronald Koeman has done a wonderful job there and it's going to be a tough game.
"They've got all the tools. They're physically strong enough, they've got footballers and good pace and you can see why they're up in the top five or six clubs in the Premier League.
"They lost a lot of players and a lot of people worried about them and it's testament to their recruitment department that not only have brought some wonderful talent through themselves, they've also recruited well. It's testament to them. Recruitment is such an important part of any club and they have certainly come through with flying colours."
UPDATE! The full-time whistle has gone at Upton Park, where Crystal Palace have held off some late pressure from West Ham to record a 3-1 win. That's a very good result for Alan Pardew and his players as they look to drag themselves towards the top half to the table.
HEAD TO HEAD: Southampton have the marginally better record when it comes to past meetings between these sides, winning 22 games compared to 21 victories for West Brom. There have also been 20 draws since they first faced each other.
This fixture has also been evenly-contested in recent times, with two wins apiece and two draws in their last six encounters. They last played each other towards the start of the season, with that game ending 0-0 at St Mary's Stadium.
Got a spare couple of minutes before kickoff? Why not check out our video preview of this afternoon's match below:
One thing we should expect today is some good attacking football from both sides. Southampton have the likes of Pelle, Tadic and Mane to lead them going forward, while West Brom will be pinning their hopes on Berahino and Ideye, who has enjoyed a resurgence in recent weeks with four goals in his last four matches.
Despite Ideye's improved form in front of goal, West Brom still have the third-worst attack in the Premier League. The Baggies are currently averaging 0.92 goals per game. Meanwhile, Southampton boast the joint-best defence in the top flight, conceding an average of 0.73 goals per game.
Not long to go now as the players start emerging in the tunnel at The Hawthorns. Darren Fletcher will lead West Brom today, while Jose Fonte skippers Southampton. Just over five minutes to go until this one gets underway.
Here come the teams!
KICKOFF! The players are out, the pre-match handshakes have been done, and it will be Southampton to get us underway. Here we go!
GOAL! WEST BROM 1-0 SOUTHAMPTON (BERAHINO)
What a start for West Brom and what a goal from Berahino! A free kick from the halfway line is nodded down at the back post and there's the Baggies striker to smash an unstoppable half-volley past Forster and into the top corner. Southampton don't know what's hit them!
Southampton look a bit shaken having gone behind so early, but they're doing a good job of keeping the ball and building up some possession. One attack sees Bertrand pick out Mane inside the box, though he can only poke the ball wide with a defender breathing down his neck.
WHOOSH! Yoshida makes a bit of ground inside the West Brom half before smacking a wayward effort high and wide from about 30 yards. That was never troubling Foster.
To their credit, Southampton have been the better team since that early goal. The Saints are starting to look more focused both in defence and attack, though West Brom are still trying to set Berahino away whenever they can. He may just have some luck if the visitors continue playing a high line at the back.
A neat exchange between Fletcher and Berahino sees the latter set free down the right before he whips a threatening cross into the box. Ideye can't quite get to it and the away side see out the danger.
West Brom are enjoying a decent spell here. They've got Southampton on the back foot, though they're just lacking that killer pass in the final third. Berahino remains lively, while the likes of Fletcher and Gardner are working hard in midfield. The hosts win a couple of corners in quick succession, but they come to nothing.
Southampton are suffering from the same lack of quality up front as West Brom at the moment. The approach play is good, with some neat passing taking place in midfield, but it's when they get close to the goal that it all breaks down.
CHANCE! Close for West Brom as Gardner whips a free kick to the back post that's met by the head of Dawson, though his effort is well held by Forster.
SOUTHAMPTON SUB: Ronald Koeman has see enough and makes a tactical change midway through the half as Gardos is replaced by Elia. Can the loan signing provide the visitors with the spark that they need?
CHANCE! Southampton now come close to finding the net as Schneiderlin switches the play brilliantly to Mane, who anticipates the bounce of the ball well before hitting a poor shot high over the crossbar. He did all of the hard work there but couldn't apply the finish.
YELLOW CARD! The first booking of the afternoon sees Southampton midfielder Wanyama booked for a late challenge on Morrison, who miscontrolled the ball before being chopped down.
CHANCE! What a ball from Brunt, who sweeps a wonderful pass over the top to Gardner. The midfielder manages to control the ball inside the box, but Fonte does well to get back and put Gardner off. This game is swinging one way then the other at the moment. It's end to end stuff.
CHANCE! The opportunities keep coming at The Hawthorns. Elia does brilliantly down the left, surging past his marker before hitting a low cross into the box. It eventually falls to Elia on the edge of the area, but he fires over. For the record, it seems as if referee Phil Dowd might be struggling with a calf problem. He's running about rather gingerly. We'll keep you posted on that one.
Ronald Koeman is having a word with the fourth official because he believes that West Brom are wasting a bit of time when it comes to goal kicks and the like. He many have a point. Meanwhile, it's Koeman's side who are in the ascendancy. They're getting a bit more joy down the flanks as they look to stretch West Brom.
The game has gone a bit scrappy in these last few minutes as both sides jostle for superiority. That should suit West Brom more because they will be eager not to let Southampton get too much into their flow.
Something of a half-chance for Southampton as a scramble on the edge of the box ends with Tadic shooting well wide. Tadic has had a frustrating opening half and the look on his face tells you so. The away side are looking good when they go forward, but it just isn't happening for them in and around the West Brom penalty area.
From a defensive point of view for West Brom, this is all very Tony Pulis. The Baggies are looking resolute at the back, not allowing Southampton any joy whatsoever. Meanwhile, that earlier injury scare for Phil Dowd seems to have passed. The official is moving around okay now.
There will be at least TWO MINUTES of added time at the end of this half...
HALF TIME: WEST BROM 1-0 SOUTHAMPTON
Phil Dowd brings an end to a lively first half, with West Brom leading Southampton 1-0 thanks to that early goal from Berahino. Both teams have had chances since then, but some poor finishing means that there's only the one goal in it.
While the visitors will be bitterly disappointed to have conceded so early, there's no doubting that Berahino's strike was a special one. The forward found the net with a fine half-volley that whizzed into the top corner following a knockdown at the back post.
Ronald Koeman could well be giving his players a rollicking right now, but they certainly had their chances to get back in the game. Mane, Elia, Tadic and Schneiderlin all fired off target when they could have done more to test Foster in the West Brom goal.
Southampton have already made one change this afternoon, but it wouldn't be a surprise to see them shake things up again early in the second half. Meanwhile, Tony Pulis is probably quite pleased by how his side has played so far today. The Baggies have looked strong at the back and dangerous on the break. The Welshman will be hoping to see more of that after the break.
SECOND HALF UNDERWAY! The players are back out and it will be West Brom to kick us off for the second half. Southampton have indeed made a change during the interval, with Steven Davis replacing Victor Wanyama. There's also been a change in the refereeing department, with Graham Scott replacing Phil Dowd. Dowd looked to have strained his calf during the first half and has not been able to continue.
The visitors are already looking a bit more menacing during these opening minutes of the second period. They win a corner on the right that Schneiderlin whips into a dangerous area, but the Baggies do just about enough to get rid of the threat.
CHANCE! Ideye does well to hold off a couple of defenders in the box before making some space for himself, but his effort is snuffed out at the last minute. That was great play from the striker, he just didn't have the luck that he needed at the end.
WEST BROM SUB: The hosts make their first change of the game as Mulumbu takes the place of Berahino, who has picked up a bit of a knock. It doesn't look too serious, but he's not able to continue.
Not a bad chance for West Brom as a cross is pumped into the Southampton box from the left before Morrison heads off target. It was a difficult one to control for the Scot, though he did a good job to get something on it with a couple of defenders around him.
CHANCE! Southampton come within inches of making it 1-1 as Schneiderlin whips a free kick narrowly wide of the post. The set piece was at a difficult angle, but the Frenchman almost squeezed the ball into the far post. Moments later Foster is booked for time-wasting. It's been coming.
Southampton are doing most of the attacking at the moment, though West Brom are looking like a threat on the break. They may have lost Berahino through injury, but Ideye is doing a good job as the lone target man. His pace and power is giving the likes of Fonte and Yoshida plenty to think about.
Ronald Koeman is not looking too enthused in the dugout, despite his side's dominance in the second half. The Saints have just under 25 minutes to get something from this game, and they can be encouraged by how things have panned out since the break. However, they're still lacking that telling piece of quality in the final third.
CHANCE! So very close for Southampton as Bertrand hits a low cross into the heart of the West Brom box from the left side. Pelle completely misses the ball before Brunt narrowly avoids scoring an own goal by putting the ball wide for a corner, which comes to nothing.
WEST BROM SUB: Another change for the hosts now as Sessesgnon replaces Morrison.
Southampton are continuing to ask the questions as we enter the final 20 minutes at The Hawthorns. The visitors don't have too much time to turn things around here, but they're not panicking yet. The football remains neat and tidy from Ronald Koeman's men.
SOUTHAMPTON SUB: The changes continue to come as former West Brom striker Long enters the action in place of Tadic for Southampton.
SAVE! Good hands from Foster, who gets across well to keep out Schneiderlin's free kick from about 25 yards. You get the feeling that it's going to be all hands to the pump for West Brom during these final 15 minutes or so. The Saints are still putting plenty of pressure on their opponents.
CHANCE! Big opportunity for West Brom to seal the win as Fletcher blazes over the crossbar from about 10 yards out after Southampton fail to clear a free kick. The Scot really should got that at least on target. Instead, it looks as if it's going to be a nervy finale at The Hawthorns.
YELLOW CARD! It's an embarrassing moment for Sessegnon, who is booked for diving. What was the Benin international thinking? He went to ground far too easily after making a run past Bertrand. Had he gone on, he could well have been able to get a shot off on goal.
West Brom are being let down by some sloppy passing as we head towards the final whistle. The home side are allowing Southampton to regain possession far too easily. Luckily for them the visitors aren't doing much with it.
A difficult opening falls the way of Pelle as the ball drops to him in the box, but he can only hit a tame shot at Foster while about three defenders close him down.
WEST BROM SUB: More bad news for the Baggies on the injury front as Ideye hobbles off to be replaced by Baird. The striker looks to have taken a knock to his ankle.
There will be at least FOUR MINUTES of added time...
Southampton are just trying to pump the ball into the West Brom box at every available opportunity now as we edge closer to the full-time whistle. They're going to need something special or lucky to get past this West Brom defence because the Baggies are defending stoically.
FULL TIME: WEST BROM 1-0 SOUTHAMPTON
The full-time whistle goes and West Brom have the win over Southampton thanks to that goal from Saido Berahino inside the opening two minutes. The Baggies worked hard to protect their lead after that, frustrating a desperate Southampton side.
That's all from our live text coverage of this afternoon's game, but don't forget that you can keep up to date with all of the reaction from both teams here on Sports Mole. Thanks for your company, we hope to see you again soon. Goodbye!
