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The Baggies travel south in four days knowing Saints fans will be expecting their side to make the most of home advantage.
Townsend thinks the fact that Russell Martin’s side finished 12 points ahead of Albion – and did the double over them in the league this season – will amplify that expectation and, with it, the pressure.
“They’ve been higher than us all season and were flirting with going
On a sun-kissed afternoon in the Black Country, fuelled by an outstandingly passionate atmosphere at kick-off time, Albion made a very lively start.
But it was quickly clear that, in such stifling conditions, they could not keep up that same sort of frenetic pace against a side as defensively well marshalled as Southampton.
Saints had marginally the better of the handful of first-half chances.
Right-back Kyle Walker-Peters’ low effort flashed
David Moyes got the send-off he deserved at London Stadium on Saturday.
A lovely warm day, a clear blue sky, a thrilling victory and a final goal from a home-grown youngster. It could not have gone much better.
As he made his way around the pitch, trailing his players on their annual end of season lap of appreciation, Moyes waved at fans, having signed autographs beforehand.
The warm and genuine
Luton led at half-time but were outclassed by West Ham after the break.
Their failure to win an away game since December and a lack of clean sheets ultimately proved their undoing.
However, after getting promoted with one of the smallest budgets in the Championship, Luton defied the odds for most of the season, earning respect and praise for the way they battled to survive.
As Edwards and his players
One of the major criticisms of Moyes from West Ham fans – who have been demanding a change of manager since before he ended their 43-year trophy drought in the Europa Conference League last June – was his seeming refusal to give younger players a chance.
Given that, it is ironic a youth-team product scored the last home goal under the Scot.
Earthy’s first top-flight appearance, at Fulham last month,
Albion are the least fancied side of the four play-off contenders with the bookmakers – including Norwich, who finished below them.
“I don’t think it’s a bad thing,” Albion keeper Alex Palmer told BBC Radio WM.
“People were writing us off earlier in the season before we were really in the play-off places.
“So now we just go about our business. Whether it’s under the radar or people have got
Moyes, 61, is in his second spell in charge of West Ham having returned to the club in December 2019.
Former Premier League striker Chris Sutton said West Ham’s owners could have shown Moyes “more respect” and that they had “messed” the former Manchester United and Everton boss around.
“Look, there’s a lot of things in football that can be done a lot better,” added Moyes, who won the Europa
West Brom defender Darnell Furlong says his side understand the “special” challenge the Championship play-offs present and insists they are ready to face Southampton.
The Baggies clinched fifth place with a 3-0 win over Preston on the final day at the Hawthorns and now meet fourth-placed Saints on Sunday.
Furlong, 28, was part of the team that got promoted under Slaven Bilic in 2019-20 and is confident there can be
In April, Sporting Lisbon manager Ruben Amorim apologised for holding talks with West Ham, saying it was a “mistake” – and Sutton believes ongoing speculation about Moyes’ future has resulted in a downturn in results.
The Hammers have won just one of their past nine Premier League games.
“I think subconsciously players switch off,” said Sutton. “I don’t think it has been helpful the fact David Moyes has been messed
Yet that overlooks a significant point.
Hammers fans pay to watch their team. While there is widespread appreciation for what Moyes has achieved, a growing number are fed up at the way he has gone about it.
In an era of high press, risk-taking, front-foot football, they view Moyes as a largely defensive coach.
This is unfair. There are times – the 5-0 win against Freiburg and second-leg salvage