2023-24 Sky Bet Championship: Play-Off Semi-Finals: Second Leg – Southampton vs West Brom

Southampton host West Bromwich Albion at The Hawthorns in the second leg of their 2023-24 Championship Play-Off Semi-Final. 

With the first leg having finished goalless, victory would send either Southampton or West Brom through to the Play-Off Final on Sunday 26 May at Wembley Stadium.

 

Team News

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Che Adams is a doubt for Southampton after he missed the first leg due to fitness issues.

Gavin Bazunu (Achilles), Stuart Armstrong and Juan Larios (both hamstring) remain sidelined.

West Brom have no fresh injury concerns to report with Josh Maja doubtful after he missed the goalless first leg due to injury.

Daryl Dike (Achilles) and Jayson Molumby (foot) remain absent.

 

When is Kick-Off?

Southampton host West Brom on Friday 17 May at 8pm at St Mary’s Stadium, live on Sky Sports in the UK.

Stat Attack

• Southampton are hosting West Brom for the first time in a post-season play-off, but have lost one of their last eight league meetings against West Brom (W6, D1, L1).
• West Brom have won one of their last seven league visits to Southampton (W1, D1, L5), although this is their first such play-off visit to the Saints.
• Russell Martin’s Saints have scored four goals and conceded once in three meetings against West Brom this season.
• Southampton lost their only previous home appearance in a play-off semi-final (L1), which in a 2-1 defeat to Derby in May 2007 in the first leg of their play-off semi-final on that occasion.
• West Brom have won just one of their four away appearances in the play-off semi-finals. (W1, L3)

 

Prediction

With this tie still goalless and having converted just three of nine shots onto target in the first leg, Southampton will be glad to be at home in this leg given their home form against the Baggies but they will need to be more clinical than they were at The Hawthorns.

Carlos Corberan’s Baggies meanwhile have their own end product issues from their home leg because to have eight of their ten shots fired off target is just wasteful, so a huge improvement is needed at a stadium where they haven’t fared well lately.

I however do expect Southampton to make home advantage count but this will be another scrappy game unless there is improvement within both teams.

Prediction: Southampton 1-0 WBA

Result: Southampton 3-1 WBA