West Brom welcome Southampton to the Hawthorns for their Championship playoff semi-final first leg. Both teams have shown similar form in recent weeks and could be set to cancel each other out.
West Brom ended the regular season on a positive note, winning 3-0 over Preston North End in their final fixture. Manager Carlos Corberan will consider this a good way to head into the playoffs, especially since they had lost their previous three matches.
The Baggies will be feeling confident heading into Sunday’s clash given their recent record at the Hawthorns. They have lost just once in their last six home matches, claiming four wins in that run.
Southampton also rounded off their regular season with a victory as they triumphed 2-1 at Leeds United in their final fixture. Like West Brom, they had been out of sorts in recent weeks, losing their previous three fixtures.
The result at Elland Road also ended a run of four away matches without a win for Southampton. The major problem for Russell Martin’s men has been a shaky backline that has kept just one clean sheet in the last seven Championship matches.
How the bookies view it: A closely fought encounter is anticipated
There is little to separate both teams among the bookies with a win for West Brom priced at 31/20 by bet365 while a Southampton victory is valued at 7/4. A draw is set at odds of 11/5 by bet365.
Recent head to head: Saints have the upper hand in recent meetings
Southampton have come out on top in recent matches against West Brom, claiming seven wins from the last eight meetings. The Saints did the double over their rivals this season, with the clash at the Hawthorns ending in a 2-0 victory.
Players to watch: Armstrong to carry the Saints in the playoffs
Adam Armstrong has been one of the standout players in the Championship and finished the regular season with 21 goals. The forward will be the one to watch on Sunday and is priced at 11/5 by bet365.
Brandon Thomas-Asante is the leading scorer for West Brom with 11 goals, although he lost his way towards the end of the regular season. The forward could still be worth keeping an eye on at 12/5 by bet365.
Probable line-ups
Striker Daryl Dike remains sidelined for West Brom, although John Swift could return to the starting line-up having come off the bench against Preston North End. Southampton have no major injuries or suspensions and could retain the team that won at Leeds United.
West Brom: Palmer, Townsend, Bartley, Kipre, Furlong, Mowatt, Yokuslu, Diangana, Fellows, Swift, Thomas-Asante.
Southampton: McCarthy, Walker-Peters, Harwood-Bellis, Bednarek, Stephens, Manning, Downes, Smallbone, Adams, Armstrong.
Anything else catch the eye? Thrilling encounter to produce goals
Southampton have seen over 2.5 goals in six of their last seven away matches and a similar outcome is priced at evens by bet365. Over 3.5 goals could also be considered at 11/4 with bet365, who is also offering 4/5 on both teams to score.
The Saints have opened the scoring in four of the last five meetings with West Brom and could be backed to grab the first goal at 11/10 with bet365.
This England Championship match between West Brom and Southampton will be played on May 12, 2024 and kick off at 14:15. Check below for our tipsters best West Brom vs Southampton prediction. You may also visit our dedicated betting previews section for the most up to date previews.
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