SOU vs WBA
Match Centre

Defeat for Saints

The hosts are beaten by West Brom, with Saints also reduced to ten men in the closing stages. Full report and reaction to come on southamptonfc.com

FULL TIME

Southampton 1-2 West Bromwich Albion

Rodriguez denied by Dawson

The striker is put through by Boufal and Craig Dawson makes a vital block to deny a shot on target.

Four minutes to be added

Stoppage time allocated.

Red Card for Virgil Van (Southampton)

Van Dijk sees red for a second yellow card after a challenge on Rondon.

McQueen keeps move alive

The youngster brings down a ball at the far post to win a corner for the hosts, which is then cleared.

Pressure from Saints

Romeu chases down Foster's clearance, and the ball bounces back off the Spaniard and narrowly wide of the goal.

Yellow Card for Sofiane Boufal (Southampton)

Boufal into the book for a foul on Yacob.

Southampton substitution: James Ward-Prowse replaces Cuco Martina

Final two substitutions made by Claude Puel.

Southampton substitution: Josh Sims replaces Dušan Tadić

Tadić takes aim

The Serbian cuts in from the right shaping to cross and then shoots high and wide of Foster's goal.

Saints search for a response

Boufal moves into a more central position, with Long playing out on the left as the hosts try to stretch the visitors' backline.

Early touch for Rodriguez

The striker gets a header on to Tadić's long ball forward, but the ball falls kindly for Foster.

Southampton substitution: Jay Rodriguez replaces Pierre-Emile Højbjerg

Saints make their first change of the game.

So close from Boufal!

The Saints man cuts inside to bend a shot narrowly wide of the right post.

Back under way

Saints immediately have some defending to do after the restart but clear their lines.

First half action

A selection of images from the opening 45 minutes at St Mary's.

Long finds the back of the net

The moment Shane Long's near post header put Saints 1-0 up.

Attendance announced

Today's crowd at St Mary's is: 30,975 (including 1,374 away supporters)

HALF TIME

Southampton 1-1 West Bromwich Albion

Saints twice denied in stoppage time

Højbjerg has close range effort blocked by Forster and the Baggies 'keeper gets back on his feet to keep out Boufal's header.

GOALSCORER 7 Shane Long

Long scores!

The former Baggies man heads in Dušan Tadić's corner at the near post. Well deserved.

Højbjerg fires wide

Pierre-Emile Højbjerg lets fly from range, but his effort is deflected wide off Chris Brunt .No corner given though.

Yellow Card for Virgil Van (Southampton)

The skipper goes into the book for a foul on Robson-Kanu.

McQueen shoots wide!

The full back sees his low drilled shot from the edge of the area fly narrowly past the right post. Good effort.

Another good move

Dušan Tadić this time takes the ball to the left byline, and sees his low cross deflected clear. Saints getting closer.

Brilliant from Boufal

The Moroccan dispossess Matt Phillips on the left side and then cuts inside to drill a low cross/shot into the area which goes narrowly past the post.

Early action

Shane Long goes up for an aerial challenge against his former club.

Boufal strikes over

Sofiane Boufal receives the ball from just outside of the area, and hits a shot over the crossbar.

Ambitious from Tadić

Dušan Tadić takes aim from distance, but his high shot is gathered by Ben Foster.

Saints clear their lines

Forster punches a corner clear, with Van Dijk and Romeu taking care of the following defensive duties.

All Southampton

A strong possession based start to the contest from the hosts, who keep the ball well before Long's cross inside the area evades everyone. Good start by Saints.

Saints take kick-off

Steven Davis gets the game under way for the hosts.

Teams take to the pitch

The players are out at St Mary's as Saints prepare to take on West Brom.

Let's end the year in style!

The players are in the tunnel ready to go for one last time in 2016, let's end on a high!

Warm-ups under way

The Saints matchday squad takes to the field for pre-match warm-ups.

Six changes for Saints

The suspended Nathan Remdond misses out, with Claude Puel making six changes to the team that started the defeat to Tottenham last time out.

Southampton team announced

Starting XI: Fortser, Martina, Yoshida, Van Dijk (c), McQueen, Romeu, Davis, Højbjerg, Boufal, Tadić, Long.

Subs: Taylor (Gk), Fonte, Rodriguez, Ward-Prowse, Reed, Bertrand, Sims.

WEST BROM HAVE BEEN VERY SOLID DEFENSIVELY. IT'S GOING TO BE A DIFFICULT GAME AND WE'RE GOING TO NEED TO ADAPT QUICKLY.

ORIOL ROMEU

SOUTHAMPTON MIDFIELDER

Flashback

Saints arrive

Watch as the Southampton players meet with supporters and make their way into the dressing room at St Mary's.

The scene is set

Southampton's players and staff arrive ahead of this afternoon's game at St Mary's.

Davis on Baggies contest

Steven Davis gives his thoughts on today's clash following on from the midweek defeat to Tottenham.

Saints prepare for Baggies

Watch footage from training at Staplewood Campus where Southampton get ready for today's game against West Bromwich Albion.

Boufal feature in SAINTS

An exclusive feature interview with Sofiane Boufal is inside today's matchday magazine. Not at the game? Order a copy from saintsmagazines.co.uk

I THINK WE ARE READY TO PLAY A GOOD GAME AND REACT AFTER THE DISAPPOINTMENT AGAINST TOTTENHAM.

CLAUDE PUEL

SOUTHAMPTON MANAGER

Puel on West Brom test

Southampton boss Claude Puel looks ahead to this afternoon's game.