West Brom 0 Southampton 2 - Report
Albion were dealt their most comprehensive home league defeat since Carlos Corberan's first game as Southampton ran out 2-0 winners in front of onlooking prospective owner Shilen Patel.
In a momentous week off the field for the Baggies, the home side were unable to be inspired on the pitch as, with the Florida businessman and his wife watching on from the West Stand, the hosts – without the boss who was dismissed early on - were swept aside by the Championship's automatic promotion contenders.
Corberan was shown a straight red card for interfering with play after just seven minutes and things failed to recover for Albion. Ryan Fraser, the Newcastle loan winger, cushioned in an opener a few minutes later and David Brooks, the Welsh international on loan from Bournemouth, put the seal on things with a fine late second.
The Saints returned to winning ways after their club-record 25-match unbeaten run fell at Bristol City in midweek.
Russell Martin's men were in control throughout, bar 10 minutes before half-time where Albion had a couple of efforts at goal and felt they had a clear penalty for Jack Stephens' handball.
A half-time switch to withdraw lone striker Brandon Thomas-Asante did not work for the Baggies on an evening they were second best by some way. Just a fifth home league defeat for Corberan in 16 months – and this was as comprehensive as the defeat to promotion winners Sheffield United just a few days into his reign in October 2022.
Albion were unable to turn to Andi Weimann amid suggestions he picked up a knock in the warm-up.
If Patel, part of Bilkul Football WBA with his father Dr Kiran, had any doubts about the quality required to lift a club and compete in the top flight of English football, free-scoring and big-spending Southampton put on a show.
There was a real energy around The Hawthorns with Shilen Patel and his wife, Parita, in the Halfords Lane directors' box with managing director Mark Miles ahead of kick-off.
Patel received a warm round of applause from supporters to the side and underneath him and waved politely to the crowd on all sides, just 24 hours from the news of his imminent takeover from Guochuan Lai being confirmed.
Corberan made a single change from Tuesday's win here over Cardiff, as captain Jed Wallace returned for Tom Fellows.
The opening of the eagerly-anticipated contest, though, did little to help a red-hot atmosphere catch fire.
Visiting right-back Kyle Walker-Peters flashed a rising effort over from a tight angle after a spell of possession that became familiar in the opening half hour.
Then, on just seven minutes and to the bemusement of everybody, Corberan was shown a straight red card by referee Sam Allison.
Replays confirmed the Albion head coach had approached the touchline and made contact with the ball before it was judged to have gone out of play, though replays suggest it may have already left the field. Corberan was dismissed under law 12 if the fouls and misconduct guidance - entering the field to interfere with play, an opposing player or a match official.
It was the Spaniard's second red card of the season after the opening day at Blackburn, where he was shown two yellow cards in quick succession.
Albion lived on the edge in the aftermath. Alex Palmer redeemed himself with a top one-v-one save from Adam Armstrong after his poor ball out of the box was intercepted.
The Baggies looked dangerous on the counter-attack - Mikey Johnston at the heart of it - on the very rare occasion Southampton didn't have the ball, but Corberan's men just didn't settle.
But Newcastle loanee Fraser already curled wide across goal before finding the corner for a 14th-minute lead.
Albion switched off from a short corner. The delivery from Stuart Armstrong to the back post was good but nobody in blue and white tracked the movement of Fraser, who was given a free run and first-time finish across Palmer. Albion complained for possible holding on Darnell Furlong.
Coaches Jorge Alarcon and Damia Abella tried to conduct things in contact with Corberan but Saints were flying. Adam Armstrong's low cross-shot was tipped wide and the impressive Sekou Mara saw a loose touch force him wide.
Celtic loanee Johnston tried to spark something for his side. Brandon Thomas-Asante showed some useful touches and turns but for all of their brighter play it took until the 42nd minute for John Swift to have a pop from 25 yards, with keeper Gavin Bazunu scrambling to see the ball wide of his right post.
Conor Townsend was just unable to make contact from a peach of a low Wallace cross before everyone of an Albion persuasion was left screaming for a penalty in stoppage time before the break.
Townsend's delivery from the left picked out opposite full-back Furlong at the back post and his first-time side-footed volley was blocked by the arm of skipper Jack Stephens.
Replays showed the captain's arm was out and the hosts had a very strong case. Seconds later Okay Yokuslu's flicked header was heading in until it was cleared from underneath the crossbar.
Corberan decided to sacrifice Thomas-Asante at the interval and introduced Tom Fellows. Wallace played a lone forward role with support from Swift - but it didn't work and the Baggies' failed to get going and recapture that momentum after the interval.
Swift sent a dipping free-kick from range over but very little followed.
The changes signalled the strength of both squads and where both clubs are. Russell Martin introduced Joe Aribo, Sam Edozie and Brooks, with Joe Rothwell and Kamaldeen Sulemana to follow.
Southampton grew in confidence knowing they had weathered Albion's brief storm. Albion's changes were the returning Grady Diangana, Adam Reach and youngster Callum Marshall. No lack of effort, but they couldn't influence things against top quality.
It became something of a procession even at 1-0 but the visitors put the seal on things inside the final 20 minutes.
Albion were sloppy with the ball and Fellows lost it - Southampton punished them lethally.
One-touch play between Aribo, Edozie and Mara fed Brooks, a Bournemouth loanee who cost the Cherries £11million, and the Welsh international's fine touch and finish was another reminder of the gulf in quality.
The contest petered out painfully. Yokuslu saw a diving header from Diangana's accurate cross excellently saved by Bazunu but that was it, Albion had otherwise lost belief as the tempo sapped out of the clash. It was not the barnstormer Mr Patel had hoped to witness on a week of celebration off the pitch otherwise.
Albion (4-2-3-1): Palmer; Furlong, Kipre, Pieters, Townsend; Yokuslu (Chalobah, 81), Mowatt; Wallace (c) (Reach, 65), Swift (Diangana, 65), Johnston (Marshall, 65); Thomas-Asante (Fellows, 45).
Subs not used: Griffiths, Ajayi, Pipa, Weimann.
Southampton (3-4-3): Bazunu; Harwood-Bellis, Bednarek, Stephens (c); Walker-Peters, Smallbone, Charles (Aribo, 58), S Armstrong (Rothwell, 81); A Armstrong (Brooks, 68), Mara (Sulemana, 81), Fraser (Edozie, 58).
Subs not used: Lumley, Manning, Amo-Ameyaw, Dibling.
Attendance: 25,066 (1,970 Southampton fans)
Referee: Sam Allison
