B Team Preview: Saints vs West Brom

Saints vs West Brom

Premier League Cup, Group A

Snows Stadium

Thursday 23rd September, 7pm BST

After a difficult start to life in Premier League 2, Dave Horseman and his side will look to tournaments like the Premier League Cup in order to provide some much-needed rest bite.

In matchday one of the competition Saints went toe-to-toe with high-flying Premier League 2 Division 1 side Arsenal away from home, who have lost just once in the league all season.

Caleb Watts’ sumptuous volley gave the visitors the lead at Meadow Park, before the Gunners’ summer signing Mika Biereth grabbed an equaliser on the stroke of half-time.

West Brom play their football in the same division as Saints and have had a more positive start to the new campaign with three wins and two defeats from their opening five games.

The Baggies claimed victory in their last Premier League Cup fixture, winning 2-0 at home to AFC Bournemouth.

TICKET INFORMATION

Fans can watch Southampton’s youngsters in action at Snows Stadium on Thursday night, with prices as follows:

- Adults - £3
- Under-18s – Free

Tickets are only available from the gate, with the bar and food stalls open too.

Please adhere to the spectator code of conduct, which you can read by clicking here.

These two sides haven’t met since the 2018/19 season, when the two were involved in a tight 1-1 draw at the West Bromwich Albion Training Ground in April 2019.

Will Smallbone gave Saints the lead just three minutes into the second half, converting from the penalty spot after Tyreke Johnson was fouled.

But the Baggies cancelled out the early Saints goal, equalising 14 minutes from time through Morgan Rogers.

A win would have put Radhi Jaïdi’s side firmly in the driving seat for the PL2 Division 2 title, but a draw meant it went down to the final day.

Luckily for Saints, that final day went according to plan and promotion was secured.

“West Brom are good,” said Horseman following Sunday’s game against Burnley. “They play like their first team as well in a 3-4-3.

“The guy [Alex Mowatt] from Barnsley last year has gone in so they’re going to be on the front foot. They’re a talented team and again, compared to us, they’re going to be quite old.

“We haven’t played a game yet where we’ve not been in it and not done good things. So it’s not a game we’re scared of. We have to make sure we dust ourselves down and go again.

“They’re getting loads and loads of games and they’re getting a taste of what it’s like to be a professional footballer. The players now need to learn that when we are on a run like we are you have to show a reaction. The reaction needs to be a positive one.

“From everyone in the dressing room a massive thank you to the fans who were there at St Mary’s on Sunday. They certainly drove the boys forward.

“Really for us a massive thank you, they don’t know how much of an impact they’ve had on some of those boys in the dressing room today.”