Image source, Getty Images

We finally see some threat and unsurprisingly it's Sofiane Boufal. He has the ball wide left and threatens to take his man on but just elects to make enough space to drive a low cross through the corridor of uncertainty. It creeps wide at the back post and only needed a touch.

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It's tight, Southampton seeing a lot of the ball but doing little with it. 

Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg has seen more of it than anyone, with 30 touches.

Steven Davis tries to switch things from left to right and the advanced full-back - Cuco Martina. 

So well organised are the visitors though that Allan Nyom has his distances right and makes it to the high ball before Martina. 

Saints are pushing their full-backs right on, with midfielders showing discipline to let them do so. For me one of Oriel Romeu, Davis or Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg will have to push on more from the middle.

Image source, Getty Images

I'll level with you. This game is so exciting this far that this image of darkness set against a blue-sky backdrop is as good as I can offer you.

West Brom organised, Southampton a little blunt and devoid of an answer to the puzzle before them just yet.

Image source, Getty Images

Sofiane Boufal will, of course, be leaving Southampton to play in the Africa Cup of Nations for Morocco. Again he's at the heart of good work to win a corner. The delivery comes in and Dusan Tadic tries a volley from range - wide.

It seems West Brom are 4-5-1, perhaps 4-4-1-1 depending on how you look at it. Hal Robson-Kanu leads the way with Nacer Chadli closest to him.

Early doors it seems Sofiane Boufal will be the game's conductor of all things bright. While others give the ball away, take foul throws (Sam McQueen) and generally scrap, Boufal looks inventive. He jinks space in midfield and has a crack which sails over.

I must admit, the fact a striker like Hal Robson-Kanu wears the number four shirt does not sit well with me.

Perhaps even more shocking is the fact Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg has just hit a cross-field free-kick straight out of play. You will not see a worse free-kick. Sunday league quality.

Image source, Reuters

Image source, Getty Images

Gareth McAuley launches a throw-in up the line towards Hal Robson-Kanu, out the ball goes again. West Brom seem happy to just let the game settle. Sofiane Boufal picks the ball up down the left, nice balance and his cross wins a corner off Jonny Evans.

A reminder of the line-ups if you are just joining us. Southampton have made six changes, West Brom just one.

Image source, .

Image source, .

A lovely reverse pass from Dusan Tadic sets the ever-willing Shane Long free behind the away defence. He's wide but can cut the ball back for runners... it evades everyone and West Brom get lucky.

Sofiane Boufal wanted it in the area but Long was not on his wavelength. A sniff of an opening.

Southampton on top early on with some considered possession. They try to squeeze a pass between West Brom's midfield and defence but Jonny Evans and Claudio Yacob sandwich the oncoming attacker. A nice squeeze by centre-back and deep midfielder.

Southampton up and out of the traps pronto as a ball is flicked over the top for Dusan Tadic to chase. Ben Foster shows he's not been left sluggish after Christmas by dashing out to catch.

We are off and running folks, send me your thoughts to #bbcfootball.

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Southampton won this fixture 3-0 last season.

If you're looking for an all-action end-to-end affair, this may not be it. There have been eight fixtures between the sides since we had one in which both teams scored - a 1-1 draw in the Championship in 2008.

Alex Bruce
Hull City defender on Final Score

It's unbelievable, what Tony Pulis has achieved this season at West Brom. They are so difficult to beat and it wouldn't surprise me at all if they finish this season in the top 10. 

They have players of proven Premier League quality - Jonny Evans, Darren Fletcher and Salomon Rondon, who has been immense at times this campaign.

Southampton were rumbled by Tottenham in their 4-1 defeat just a few days ago.

Spurs ended Saints' home run of five hours and 24 minutes without conceding. After winning at Bournemouth, Southampton could have made it back-to-back league wins. They have only won two league games in a row once this season - back in September.

Image source, .

Image source, Virgil van Dijk

Southampton defender Virgil van Dijk issued a bit of a social media rally cry earlier. Oddly the tweet seems to have published at 4:15am. I'm not sure he should be up at the time on a matchday.

Anyway, good old Virgil wants a "better 2017". The question is, where will he find that improvement? 

The big central defender is widely linked with a move away, such are his stellar displays. One bookmaker makes Manchester City 3/1 favourites to land him, with Manchester United at 12/1 and Liverpool 20/1.

Out stride 22 men and a handful of officials to a chorus of claps, not too much in the way of signing. Hal Robson-kanu will be happier than anyone out there surely? His first Premier League start in over three years.

He's sussed out how to Cruyff turn in style since then you know...

Image source, .

West Brom like to get it forward quickly, I'd say that's a fair analysis.

If we exclude teams promoted or relegated at the end of the 2015-16 season, we can see they have completed less passes than any top-flight side in the 2016 calendar year.

Tony Pulis' side have managed 8,053. That's 353 less than their nearest rival in Sunderland. Liverpool lead the way on 17,485.

Image source, West Brom

I know it's a late entry, but can we give the 2016 award for most boring interview to Claudio Yacob?

"Hopefully we can get three points."

Yes, that's always the aim of the game Claudio.

"Every game is different."

Yes, otherwise this would be pretty boring as a spectator sport.

"Southampton are a top team."

Other than the fact they are eighth in the table.

Image source, WBA

No Salomon Rondon then. It seems the club's Twitter account went a bit early. He could of course come off the bench to bag a 15th goal of 2016.

He's threatening to become a right player if you ask me. 

He's clearly a handful, a nuisance of a striker for defenders in that he puts himself about but can move well too. His scoring remains inconsistent though.

A hat-trick against Swansea on 14 December ended a run of three games without a goal. His single strike against Burnley on 21 November ended a run of five without registering. 

The Venezuelan is bringing it for West Brom. But, can he perhaps bring a touch more? At 27, he's surely in his prime.