Southampton face West Brom in the second leg of their Championship play-off semi-final on Friday night.
Southampton will have the luxury of being the home side in the decisive tie, with the scores level at 0-0 from the first leg.
Sunday’s game at The Hawthorns was a tight, cagey affair with neither side willing to give up an inch in the first match of the tie.
With Russell Martin‘s side securing a draw away from home, they will now be the favourites to progress to the Wembley final on May 26th and may feel they can afford to be more expansive at St Mary’s.
Following a change to a 3-5-2 formation in the win against Leeds United on the final day of the season, all the talk ahead of the first leg revolved around whether Martin would do the same again or revert to the 4-3-3 he has used for the majority of the campaign.
The Saints boss opted to continue with three at the back, but changed to a back four later in the game.
Now, with Southampton needing to take the impetus at home, Martin may now decide to start with a 4-3-3.
Southampton injury news for West Brom second leg
Part of the reason Martin may have chosen to use a 3-5-2 on Sunday was the fact that in-form striker Che Adams was not deemed fit to make the squad.
The Scotland striker went off in the 61st minute on the final day against Leeds but was expected to be fine to start against the Baggies after Martin had suggested his withdrawal was precautionary.
With Adam Armstrong struggling as a lone striker this season Martin brought in Sekou Mara to play alongside him in a front two, but it didn’t work.
Adams is expected to be fit again on Friday, with fans desperate to see him back in the starting XI.
Ross Stewart played the final half an hour on Sunday in his longest appearance for Southampton so far, having endured a torrid time with injuries, and should be in the squad again albeit not ready to start.
Aside from that there is just the trio of long-term absentees, with Gavin Bazunu, Stuart Armstrong and Juan Larios all still sidelined.
Southampton predicted XI v West Brom
Alex McCarthy has been linked with the likes of Liverpool and Celtic this week after being the unlikely hero as Saints kept a clean sheet on Sunday and will continue to fill in for Bazunu in goal.
A return to the back four will likely mean Ryan Manning drops out of the side, with Jack Stephens playing in the auxiliary left-back role Martin likes him in.
It has been a mixed season for Manning after following Martin from Swansea City as he has found himself in and out of the side, but Martin has labelled the left-back as a player he ‘loves’ even when he is out of the team.
That means a back four of Kyle Walker-Peters, Taylor Harwood-Bellis, Jan Bednarek and Stephens.
Flynn Downes has arguably been Southampton’s most important player this season and will continue as the holding player in an unchanged midfield three alongside Will Smallbone and Joe Aribo.
If Adams is fit he will start, particularly given the struggles of Armstrong and Mara on Sunday. This just leaves the question of who will flank Adams on either side.
Armstrong will move to one of the wings, but which one depends on who Martin decides to bring in.
David Brooks had started seven games in a row prior to the defeat against Stoke City in the last home game but has seen his form dip recently, whilst Ryan Fraser will be itching to start.
Brooks looked bright when he came off the bench alongside Fraser and Stewart as Southampton switched formation for the final half hour at The Hawthorns and may just get the nod.
The Welshman will take up his favoured position on the right, meaning Armstrong will play from the left where he can cut in to get shots away.
With that in mind, here is how we predict Southampton will line up for their crucial play-off semi-final second leg against West Brom.
Southampton (4-3-3): McCarthy; Walker-Peters, Harwood-Bellis, Bednarek, Manning; Downes, Smallbone, Aribo; Brooks, Adams, Armstrong
