After Southampton’s 2-1 win over Leeds United on the final day of the regular Championship season, attention must immediately turn to the play-off semi-final with West Brom.
That result will have given Russell Martin and his players confidence after a run of three consecutive defeats prior threatened to see them limp into the play-off clashes.
Southampton must now prepare for a double-header against West Brom, who are a team they have beaten twice in the league this season.
The first-leg sees the Saints travel to The Hawthorns on Sunday, with the return leg a Friday night game under the lights at St Mary’s on the following Friday.
West Brom finished the season with a 3-0 win over Preston on Saturday and have a number of attacking players that Southampton will need to be wary of.
Southampton must stop West Brom captain
The first of those players is West Brom captain Jed Wallace.
The 30-year-old will have the extra incentive of having come through the academy of Southampton’s fierce rivals, Portsmouth, before playing 121 games for the club.
Wallace has played primarily as a winger throughout his career, but this season has seen his role split between the right wing and a centre-forward position in which he has enjoyed success.
His goal return has not been amazing, with six goals according to Transfermarkt respectable but not massively impressive, but when you add his five assists into the equation you can see that Wallace has the potential to be a real threat.
Brandon Thomas-Asante West Brom’s top goalscorer
Southampton will already know that Brandon Thomas-Asante is the Baggies’ main source of goals this season.
The 25-year-old has 11 Championship goals as well as two assists.
This pales into insignificance when you compare to the contribution of Southampton forwards Adam Armstrong and Che Adams, who have 21 and 16 league goals respectively, but he is still West Brom’s focal point.
Martin sprung a surprise against Leeds as he changed from his favoured 4-3-3 formation to play with a back three.
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Whether it be a back three or a four, though, Southampton defenders will know they are in a battle with Thomas-Asante, with the forward boasting an impressive physical presence.
Mikey Johnston will be West Brom’s main threat
West Brom signed Mikey Johnston on loan from Celtic in January and he has been a revelation.
The Ireland international has been deployed primarily on the left wing since making the move south of the border and has scored seven goals in 18 Championship games.
Johnstone is tricky and loves to cut inside on his favoured right foot to get a shot away.
Luckily for Southampton, they will have one of their best players directly up against Johnstone, as Kyle Walker-Peters is expected to play on the right of the defence, whether that be as a wing-back or a more conventional full-back.
Former West Ham winger Grady Diangana can also cause real chaos in the attacking third on his final day and could well make up a talented attacking quartet alongside Johnstone, Wallace and Thomas-Asante.