With three games left of the Championship season and Southampton five points off second, the play-offs seem the most likely outcome for the south coast club.
There is a glimmer of hope, as manager Russell Martin still has to take his side to Leicester City and Leeds United in first and third before the season concludes.
However, the 2-1 defeat away at Cardiff City on Saturday was a huge blow to any hopes Southampton had of sneaking into the automatic promotion spots.
Not only did the Saints lose that game, but they also saw 32-year-old Stuart Armstrong carried off on a stretcher with what is anticipated to be a season-ending injury.
Ryan Manning also came off at half-time with a knock but should not suffer any long-term effects, whilst Flynn Downes missed that game for the same reason.
Now, with the Championship table taking a shape that is likely to resemble its final standings, we are able to assess Southampton’s likely play-off opponents.
Russell Martin knows how to beat West Brom
As things stand, with Southampton in fourth, their most likely opponents in the play-off semi-final are West Brom.
In the play-offs, the side that finishes third face sixth and fourth play fifth.
Currently, West Brom are fifth but they are only ahead of Norwich City on goal difference with the same number of games played.
If it is West Brom that Southampton must play for a place in the Wembley final on Sunday 26 May, then Southampton should take confidence from their two league encounters this campaign.
Martin has seen his side complete a Championship double over Carlos Corberan’s side, winning 2-1 at home before an impressive 2-0 win at The Hawthorns.
In the St Mary’s match-up in November, Will Smallbone and Adam Armstrong were on target for the Saints, with defender Kyle Bartley scoring the Baggies’ goal.
The away fixture in February was notable for Jack Stephens playing left-back, as Ryan Fraser and David Brooks scored the Southampton goals.
West Brom have lost their last two league games – the latest a 2-1 defeat to table-toppers Leicester – but will represent a tricky opponent should Southampton face them after the regular season has ended.
Martin must find way to beat Norwich City
If Norwich are able to leapfrog West Brom and Southampton fail to improve on their current position then it will be the Canaries that Southampton face in the two-legged play-off semi-finals.
This would be an intriguing match-up given the two sides have drawn both their league battles this season.
The pair first faced each other in just the second game of the Championship season, playing out a thrilling 4-4 draw.
Adam Armstrong salvaged a point that day with a 97th-minute penalty; his second from the spot in the same game.
The other Saints goalscorers on the day were Poland international Jan Bednarek and Che Adams, with Josh Sargent, Gabriel Sara, Jonathan Rowe and Christian Fassnacht the Norwich scorers.
The two sides met again on New Years’ Day, again sharing the points. This game was less eventful though, with the scores a more conventional 1-1.
Adam Armstrong and Sargent were again on the scoresheet that day, with Southampton inexplicably failing to win despite registering 75% possession, 12 corners and an xG of 2.5 to Norwich’s 0.83 according to Sofascore.
If it is to be Norwich that Southampton must overcome for a spot in the Wembley final, then Martin will have to find a way to make his side’s dominance pay against a resilient side under David Wagner.