West Brom 2 Southampton 3: Mauricio Pellegrino’s side seal comeback win to ease sack fears
Mario Lemina, Jack Stepehns and James Ward-Prowse strike to deny Baggies
MAURICIO PELLEGRINO rammed the taunts of his own fans down their throats as his Saints came from behind to destroy rock-bottom West Brom.
The Argentine appeared to be living on borrowed time when his side trailed to Ahmed Hegazi’s fourth minute header, just before half-time.
After a dirty dozen games without a win the travelling Southampton fans patience snapped and they turned their fury towards their own manager.
But they had barely stopped chanting “you’re getting sacked in the morning" at their OWN beleaguered boss, when Saints scored twice in three minutes to go in ahead at half-time!
James Ward-Prowse was the provider following two corners which the Baggies failed to deal with.
First he worked a short routine with Sofiane Boufal who fed Mario Lemina and the Gabon midfielder crashed a stunning 25-yarder into the top corner of Ben Foster’s net.
Ward-Prowse whipped in a near post corner and Jack Stephens burst in to flash his header over Foster and in at the far post.
Ward-Prowse then pulled rank over a furious Boufal, who wanted to take a free kick 10 minutes after the break.
PELL-ING THE PLUG Southampton boss Mauricio Pellegrino admits he is on the ‘electric chair’ as winless run continues
Saints team-mates prevented the miffed Moroccan getting the ball and handed it to dead-ball specialist Ward-Prowse.
And the England Under-21 star showed why when he curled a stunning set-piece round the Albion wall and past Foster to make it 3-1.
Alan Pardew sent on former Saint Jay Rodriguez for Daniel Sturridge and Albion pulled one back after 72 minutes to set up a nail-biting finale.
Brunt sent over a curling cross and Salomon Rondon rose above Wes Hoedt to send a back-header beyond Alex McCarthy.
However despite a frantic end to the match Saints held out to deny West Brom the victory Alan Pardew had called for to honour the memory of Cyrille Regis – to leave the striking legend’s club marooned at the foot of the Premier League.