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West Brom welcome Southampton this afternoon for the second Championship play-off, and it's live on talkSPORT.
The Saints finished fourth and the Baggies fifth, although Russell Martin's side ended up 12 points clear of West Brom.
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But that is the beauty of the play-offs, and both sides have an equal chance of making it to the final at Wembley.
Southampton played some delightful football throughout the season and will hope to take a lead back to the south coast.
Meanwhile, Carlos Corberan's men will look to use the home crowd to inspire them before travelling to St Mary's for the return leg.
West Brom vs Southampton: Amazing Armstrong
No player across the 2023/24 Championship season recorded more direct goal contributions than Adam Armstrong.
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The diminutive forward played every league game and finished as the second-top scorer behind Blackburn's Sammie Szmodics.
The former Newcastle striker ended the season with 21 goals, but he also secured 13 assists.
Only Leif Davis, Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall and Georginio Rutter grabbed more across the season.
So if the Saints are to win, you can guarantee that Armstrong will need to play a big role.
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- West Brom have lost seven of their last eight meetings with Southampton in all competitions (W1), losing both meetings with the Saints in the regular Championship season this term.
- Southampton have lost just one of their last six away games against West Brom in all competitions (W4 D1), going down 3-0 in the Premier League in April 2021.
- This is West Brom’s fourth appearance in the second tier play-offs – they lost at the semi-final stage in both 2000-01 (vs Bolton) and 2018-19 (vs Aston Villa), and in the 2007 final against Derby. Every team to beat them in the second tier play-offs has ended up gaining promotion to the Premier League that year.
West Brom vs Southampton: Team news
West Brom XI: Palmer, Furlong, Bartley, Kipre, Townsend, Yokuslu, Mowatt, Fellows, Diangana, Johnston, Thomas-Asante.
Subs: Griffiths, Ajayi, M'Vila, Chalobah, Swift, Wallace, Phillips, Reach, Weimann.
Southampton XI: McCarthy, Walker-Peters, Harwood-Bellis, Bednarek, Stephens, Manning, Smallbone, Downes, Aribo, Armstrong, Mara.
Subs: Lumley, Bree, Charles, Fraser, Brooks, Sulemana, Rotherwell, Edozie, Stewart.
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- This is just Southampton’s second appearance in the Football League play-offs – they were eliminated in the 2006-07 Championship semi-final by Derby County, who would go on to beat West Brom in the final.
- West Bromwich Albion won 15 home games during the regular Championship season, their most victories at the Hawthorns in a single league campaign since 2009-10 (16).
- The Championship play-off winning team has alternated between the team finishing fourth and the team finishing third in each of the last four campaigns, with third placed Luton Town triumphant last season.
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West Brom vs Southampton: What has been said?
Saints boss Martin has revealed he took some advice from Neil Warnock after the Saints were thrashed 5-0 by Leicester.
The iconic English manager told the ex-Swansea boss to take his players out for a Chinese, and Martin did take the players out for a meal,
He said: “I think when someone as wise and as experienced as Neil Warnock tells me to take the team out for a meal, he’s spot on.
“It was a nice meal but it wasn’t a Chinese, it was a little bit healthier than that. I thank him for that advice.
"He was right that the players, after such an intense schedule, just needed it. The staff too. We were all together with the owners and the executive team here.
“We worked hard in the morning and had some food. We spent some time together and set the stall out for what is to come.
"I think it was good advice and we took it."
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West Brom vs Southampton: Date and how to follow
This Championship play-off semi-final first leg is set to take place on Sunday, May 12.
Kick-off at The Hawthorns is scheduled for 2:15pm.
talkSPORT will have live coverage from the Midlands, with Sam Matterface serving as your presenter.
Commentary will come from Adam Bridge and former Liverpool midfielder Ray Houghton.
talkSPORT.com will have all the reaction.
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