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Southampton’s Champions League hopes are beginning to slide and on the evidence of their latest setback at the Hawthorns yesterday, it is not hard to see why. Ronaldo Koeman’s team would have climbed back into the top four with a victory but they seldom looked like scoring after falling behind to Saido Berahino’s second-minute goal and their attacking impotence was summed up by a glaring Graziano Pelle miss.
The Italian is without a Premier League goal since 20 December but he will not have had a better chance in that time than the one that Ryan Bertrand served up with a ball across the six-yard box after 67 minutes; Pelle only needed to make contact, but let the ball roll under his foot. As a consequence, Southampton have scored once in their last five matches.
Koeman refused to blame Pelle, saying: “I don’t like to talk about one player. The whole team performance is a little bit down compared with the beginning of the season.”
West Bromwich Albion - the latest match picturesShow all 104 1 /104West Bromwich Albion - the latest match pictures West Bromwich Albion - the latest match pictures Crystal Palace 0 West Brom 2 James Morrison (far right) turns to celebrate after scoring in the second minutes
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West Bromwich Albion - the latest match pictures Crystal Palace 0 West Brom 2 James Morrison celebrates putting West Brom ahead early
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West Bromwich Albion - the latest match pictures Crystal Palace 0 West Brom 2 Tony Pulis applauds the crowd on his return to Selhurst Park
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West Bromwich Albion - the latest match pictures Man City 3 West Brom 0 Wilfried Bony opens the scoring for Manchester City
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West Bromwich Albion - the latest match pictures West Brom 1 Stoke 0 Brown Ideye nods in a brilliant header to score the only goal of the afternoon.
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West Bromwich Albion - the latest match pictures West Brom 1 Stoke 0 West Brom players rush to congratulate the Nigerian striker.
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West Bromwich Albion - the latest match pictures West Brom 1 Stoke 0 Ben Foster had to be replaced after picking up an injury in the second half.
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West Bromwich Albion - the latest match pictures West Brom 1 Stoke 0 Tony Pulis beat his former club again.
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West Bromwich Albion - the latest match pictures Aston Villa 2 West Brom 1 Gabriel Agbonlahor celebrates opening the scoring for Aston Villa
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West Bromwich Albion - the latest match pictures Aston Villa 2 West Brom 1 Tim Sherwood celebrates after Aston Villa open the scoring against West Brom
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West Bromwich Albion - the latest match pictures Aston Villa 2 West Brom 1 Saido Berahino celebrates scoring the equaliser for West Brom against Aston Villa
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West Bromwich Albion - the latest match pictures Aston Villa 2 West Brom 1 Christian Benteke of Aston Villa celebrates scoring the winner for Aston Villa
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West Bromwich Albion - the latest match pictures Burnley 2 West Brom 2 Burnley celebrate the opening goal from Ashley Barnes
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West Bromwich Albion - the latest match pictures Burnley 2 West Brom 2 Danny Ings makes it 2-0 to Burnley
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West Bromwich Albion - the latest match pictures Burnley 2 West Brom 2 Chris Brunt gets one back for the visitors
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West Bromwich Albion - the latest match pictures Burnley 2 West Brom 2 Brown Ideye scores the equaliser
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West Bromwich Albion - the latest match pictures Burnley 2 West Brom 2 Brown Ideye celebrates the equaliser
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West Bromwich Albion - the latest match pictures Birmingham City 1 West Bromwich Albion 2 Andrew Shinnie dribbles away from the chasing Claudio Yacob
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West Bromwich Albion - the latest match pictures Birmingham City 1 West Bromwich Albion 2 Victor Anichebe put the Baggies into a first-half lead with his
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West Bromwich Albion - the latest match pictures Birmingham City 1 West Bromwich Albion 2 Anichebe celebrates his second goal of the afternoon
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West Bromwich Albion - the latest match pictures Birmingham City 1 West Bromwich Albion 2 Jonathan Grounds fires past Boaz Myhill to bring Birmingham back into the game
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West Bromwich Albion - the latest match pictures Birmingham City 1 West Bromwich Albion 2 Grounds celebrates with team-mates but Blues couldn't find an equaliser.
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West Bromwich Albion - the latest match pictures Birmingham City 1 West Bromwich Albion 2 Tony Pulis celebrates after he kept up his undefeated record at his new club.
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West Bromwich Albion - the latest match pictures Everton 0 West Brom 0 Victor Anichebe of West Brom controls the ball under pressure against his former club
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West Bromwich Albion - the latest match pictures Everton 0 West Brom 0 Kevin Mirallas takes and misses a spot-kick during Everton's match with West Brom
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West Bromwich Albion - the latest match pictures Everton 0 West Brom 0 Kevin Mirallas (R) reacts after sending his penalty kick against the post
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West Bromwich Albion - the latest match pictures West Brom 1 Hull 0 Allan McGregor of Hull City argues with team mate Ahmed Elmohamady
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West Bromwich Albion - the latest match pictures West Brom 1 Hull 0 Saido Berahino scores to give West Brom a 1-0 win over Hull
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West Bromwich Albion - the latest match pictures West Brom 1 Hull 0 West Brom players celebrate Saido Berahino's goal
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West Bromwich Albion - the latest match pictures West Brom 7 Tranmere Rovers 0 Saido Berahino rounds out the scoring as he adds his fourth goal
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West Bromwich Albion - the latest match pictures West Brom 7 Tranmere Rovers 0 Chris Brunt pokes home the Baggies' fifth
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West Bromwich Albion - the latest match pictures West Brom 7 Tranmere Rovers 0 Berahino secures his hat-trick as he puts West Brom 4-0 up
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West Bromwich Albion - the latest match pictures West Brom 7 Tranmere Rovers 0 Saido Berahino doubles his tally as he curls home West Brom's third
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West Bromwich Albion - the latest match pictures West Brom 7 Tranmere Rovers 0 Victor Anichebe celebrates scoring West Brom's second goal
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West Bromwich Albion - the latest match pictures West Brom 7 Tranmere Rovers 0 Saido Berahino opens the scoring as he curls home and effort from the edge of the box
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West Bromwich Albion - the latest match pictures West Ham 1 West Brom 1 Saido Berahino celebrates the equaliser
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West Bromwich Albion - the latest match pictures West Ham 1 West Brom 1 Diafra Sakho heads West Ham in front
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West Bromwich Albion - the latest match pictures West Ham 1 West Brom 1 New Baggies manager Tony Pulis was an eager spectator at Upton Park
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West Bromwich Albion - the latest match pictures Stoke City 2 West Brom 0 Mame Diouf scores his first against West Brom
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West Bromwich Albion - the latest match pictures Stoke City 2 West Brom 0 Mame Diouf celebrates his second against West Brom
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West Bromwich Albion - the latest match pictures QPR 3 West Brom 2 Charlie Austin heads in his third goal to win the game for QPR
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West Bromwich Albion - the latest match pictures QPR 3 West Brom 2 Charlie Austin celebrates scoring his second for QPR
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West Bromwich Albion - the latest match pictures QPR 3 West Brom 2 Charlie Austin bundles home his second goal
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West Bromwich Albion - the latest match pictures QPR 3 West Brom 2 Charlie Austin rushes back after scoring his first goal of the game against West Brom
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West Bromwich Albion - the latest match pictures QPR 3 West Brom 2 Joleon Lescott celebrates scoring a rare goal for West Brom
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West Bromwich Albion - the latest match pictures QPR 3 West Brom 2 Joleon Lescott heads West Brom in front against QPR
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West Bromwich Albion - the latest match pictures West Brom 1 Aston Villa 0 Craig Gardner celebrates putting West Brom ahead
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West Bromwich Albion - the latest match pictures West Brom 1 Aston Villa 0 Craig Gardner finally breaks the deadlock to put the Baggies ahead of 10-man Villa
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West Bromwich Albion - the latest match pictures West Brom 1 Aston Villa 0 Gareth McAuley tackles Gabriel Agbonlahor
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West Bromwich Albion - the latest match pictures West Brom 1 Aston Villa 0 Kieran Richardson is shown a red card after a tackle on Stephane Sessegnon
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West Bromwich Albion - the latest match pictures West Brom 1 Aston Villa 0 Kieran Richardson scythes down Stephane Sessegnon
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West Bromwich Albion - the latest match pictures Hull 0 West Brom 0 Graham Dorrans of West Brom has his penalty kick saved in the goalless draw with Hull
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West Bromwich Albion - the latest match pictures Hull 0 West Brom 0 Victor Anichebe of West Brom goes down as James Chester of Hull City and Michael Dawson
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West Bromwich Albion - the latest match pictures Hull 0 West Brom 0 Liam Rosenior of Hull City and Andre Wisdom of West Brom compete for the ball
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West Bromwich Albion - the latest match pictures Hull 0 West Brom 0 Ahmed Elmohamady of Hull City is challenged by Stephane Sessegnon of West Brom
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West Bromwich Albion - the latest match pictures West Brom 1 West Ham 2 Nolan (left) is mobbed by his team-mates after his equaliser
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West Bromwich Albion - the latest match pictures West Brom 1 West Ham 2 Dawson puts West Brom in front with a header
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West Bromwich Albion - the latest match pictures Chelsea 2 West Brom 0 Diego Costa opens the scoring, his 11th goal in the Premier League in just his 10th match
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West Bromwich Albion - the latest match pictures Chelsea 2 West Brom 0 Chelsea players crowd round the Spanish striker, who received a standing ovation from the home fans when he was later taken off
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West Bromwich Albion - the latest match pictures Chelsea 2 West Brom 0 Claudio Yacob was sent off for a two-footed tackle on Costa - he won the ball but it was dangerous
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West Bromwich Albion - the latest match pictures Chelsea 2 West Brom 0 Branislav Ivanovic holds off Stephane Sessegnon during the first-half
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West Bromwich Albion - the latest match pictures Chelsea 2 West Brom 0 Eden Hazard fires in the second after the Baggies were caught sleeping from a short corner
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West Bromwich Albion - the latest match pictures Chelsea 2 West Brom 0 Chelsea boss Jose Mourinho watches the action unfold at Stamford Bridge
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West Bromwich Albion - the latest match pictures West Brom 0 Newcastle 2 Ayoze Perez flicks in a brilliant opener for Newcastle
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West Bromwich Albion - the latest match pictures West Brom 0 Newcastle 2 Ayoze Perez celebrates his goal against West Brom
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West Bromwich Albion - the latest match pictures West Brom 0 Newcastle 2 Fabricio Coloccini celebrates his goal that put Newcastle 2-0 up
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West Bromwich Albion - the latest match pictures Leicester 0 West Brom 1 Chris Brunt celebrates after Esteban Cambiasso's own-goal gives West Brom the lead
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West Bromwich Albion - the latest match pictures Leicester 0 West Brom 1 Saido Berahino celebrates Esteban Cambiasso's own goal that gave West Brom the lead
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West Bromwich Albion - the latest match pictures Leicester 0 West Brom 1 Wes Morgan heads the ball that deflects off Esteban Cambiasso and into the back of the net
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West Bromwich Albion - the latest match pictures West Brom 1 Crystal Palace 2 West Brom mascot Baggie Bird ahead of kick-off at The Hawthorns
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West Bromwich Albion - the latest match pictures West Brom 1 Crystal Palace 2 Sebastien Pocognoli tries to get past Palace defender Martin Kelly
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West Bromwich Albion - the latest match pictures West Brom 1 Crystal Palace 2 Brede Hangeland is mobbed by Palace team-mates after giving the Eagles the lead
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West Bromwich Albion - the latest match pictures West Brom 1 Crystal Palace 2 Palace captain Mile Jedinak makes it 2-0, sending Ben Foster the wrong way from the penalty spot
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West Bromwich Albion - the latest match pictures West Brom 1 Crystal Palace 2 Victor Anichebe leaps to head West Brom back into the game early in the second-half
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West Bromwich Albion - the latest match pictures West Brom 1 Crystal Palace 2
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West Bromwich Albion - the latest match pictures West Brom 2 Crystal Palace 2 Saido Berahino scores a late penalty to earn the Baggies a point at The Hawthorns
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West Bromwich Albion - the latest match pictures West Brom 2 Manchester United 2 David De Gea could do nothing to stop Stephane Sessegnon's opener
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West Bromwich Albion - the latest match pictures West Brom 2 Manchester United 2 Sessegnon celebrates his early goal
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West Bromwich Albion - the latest match pictures West Brom 2 Manchester United 2 Marouane Fellaini celebrates bringing the scores level after his introduction at the break
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West Bromwich Albion - the latest match pictures West Brom 2 Manchester United 2 Berahino (right) put West Brom back in front. Picture left is Marcos Rojo, who was terrible throughout
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West Bromwich Albion - the latest match pictures West Brom 2 Manchester United 2 Daley Blind rescued a late point for Manchester United with a sweet finish
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West Bromwich Albion - the latest match pictures Liverpool 2 West Brom 1 (Vice) Captain Fantastic strikes to put Liverpool back ahead. Comfortable finish from Jordon Henderson.
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West Bromwich Albion - the latest match pictures Liverpool 2 West Brom 1 Brendan Rodgers was clearly confused by the decision to award West Brom a penalty.
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West Bromwich Albion - the latest match pictures Liverpool 2 West Brom 1 Saido Berahino breaks Liverpool hearts with an equaliser from the spot. Dejan Lovren's challenge, which lead to the penalty, looked to be outside the area.
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West Bromwich Albion - the latest match pictures Liverpool 2 West Brom 1 One of the players to join from Southampton in the summer, Adam Lallana put Liverpool ahead with a beautifully worked goal in the first half.
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West Bromwich Albion - the latest match pictures Liverpool 2 West Brom 1 Rickie Lambert was handed his league Liverpool debut for the clash against West Brom.
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West Bromwich Albion - the latest match pictures West Brom 3 Hull City 2 Saido Berahino is mobbed by his West Brom team-mates after scoring a late winner against Hull City in the third round of the Capital One Cup
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West Bromwich Albion - the latest match pictures Tottenham 0 West Brom 1 West Brom players celebrate James Morrison's goal
West Bromwich Albion - the latest match pictures Tottenham 0 West Brom 1 James Morrison scores for West Brom against Tottenham
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West Bromwich Albion - the latest match pictures West Brom 0 Everton 1 The Toffees go ahead after just two minutes through their record signing, Belgian international Romelu Lukaku.
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West Bromwich Albion - the latest match pictures West Brom 0 Everton 1 Everton manager Roberto Matinez was keen to see an improved defensive performance at West Brom after watching his side concede six against Chelsea before the international break.
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West Bromwich Albion - the latest match pictures Southampton 0 West Brom 0 West Brom players scramble to clear the loose ball inside their penalty area
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West Bromwich Albion - the latest match pictures Southampton 0 West Brom 0 Youssuf Mulumbu gets a sore one where it hurts
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West Bromwich Albion - the latest match pictures Southampton 0 West Brom 0 Graziano Pelle wins a flick-on ahead of West Brom defender Craig Dawson
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West Bromwich Albion - the latest match pictures Southampton 0 West Brom 0 Gary Gardner and Steven Davis put their heads in where it hurts
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West Bromwich Albion - the latest match pictures Southampton 0 West Brom 0 Stephane Sessegnon drives past Southampton midfielder's to put his team on the attack
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West Bromwich Albion - the latest match pictures Southampton 0 West Brom 0 New signing Brown Ideye almost scores a late goal for the visitors but his header hit was saved by Fraser Forster
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West Bromwich Albion - the latest match pictures West Brom 2 Sunderland 2 Sebastian Larsson and Lee Cattermole celebrate after the former scores an equalising goal in the 2-2 draw between West Brom and Sunderland
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West Bromwich Albion - the latest match pictures West Brom Sunderland West Brom fans stand up in celebration of the equalising goal
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West Bromwich Albion - the latest match pictures West Brom Sunderland Saido Berahino celebrates scoring an equaliser from the penalty spot
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West Bromwich Albion - the latest match pictures West Brom Sunderland Saido Berahino converts a first-half penalty to level the scores at 1-1
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West Bromwich Albion - the latest match pictures West Brom Sunderland Lee Cattermole celebrates his early opener after giving Sunderland the lead
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West Bromwich Albion - the latest match pictures West Brom Sunderland Lee Cattermole strikes a long-range effort into the back of the net to give Sunderland an early lead
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West Bromwich Albion - the latest match pictures West Brom Sunderland Alan Irvine waves to the crowd at the Hawthorns as he takes charge of his first match as West Brom manager
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The Dutchman admitted there was “less confidence” in the camp and suggested a lack of sharpness was another factor. Southampton’s front three yesterday are all new to the Premier League and Koeman noted: “If you are used to having a break during winter and you don’t have one then maybe there will come a moment you are not so sharp as before.”
West Brom players celebrate Saido Berahino's goal (Getty Images) With their attack misfiring, Southampton have been reliant on the top flight’s meanest defence but it was breached inside 70 seconds yesterday. Maya Yoshida, under pressure from Craig Dawson, headed a free-kick into the path of Berahino who sent a sweet volley flying into the top corner from 15 yards.
It was Berahino’s 16th goal of the campaign and ninth since New Year’s Day. “It is a wonderful strike,” said Albion manager Tony Pulis, who described Berahino as “the icing on the cake” for his impressively organised side. Berahino and his strike partner Ideye Brown had injections to play, Pulis revealed, but while both limped off in the second half, it failed to dampen the mood of the home crowd.
Graziano Pelle reacts after missing a late chance for Southampton (Getty Images) With Albion climbing into the relative safety of 13th place, the cry around the Hawthorns was “Aston Villa, we’re coming for you” ahead of the upcoming League and cup double-header against their neighbours.
Albion have lost just one of 10 games since Pulis took over, and kept seven clean sheets in that time. Koeman admitted that conceding so early made Southampton’s task all the harder and though he made an early tactical switch – changing from three central defenders to a more customary back four by replacing Florin Gardos with Eljero Elia – there was no way through.
Gardner, Yakub and Fletcher applaud the home fans at the full-time whistle (Getty Images) West Brom (4-4-2): Foster; Dawson, McAuley, Lescott, Brunt; Morrison (Sessègnon, 72), Yacob, Fletcher, Gardner; Ideye (Baird, 88), Berahino (Mulumbu, 56).
Southampton (3-4-1-2): Forster; Gardos (Elia, 25), Fonte, Yoshida; Clyne, Wanyama (S Davis, 45), Schneiderlin, Bertrand; Tadic (Long, 74); Mane, Pelle.
Referee: Phil Dowd
Man of the match: Gardner (West Bromwich)
Match rating: 5/10
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