Adam Lallana scored the only goal of the game as Southampton inflicted a 1-0 defeat on West Bromwich Albion in Keith Downing's final game in caretaker charge of the Baggies.
Newly-appointed Albion boss Pepe Mel, who takes charge of first-team duties next week, was in the stands at St Mary's Stadium to watch the home side's skipper slot the ball under Ben Foster on 66 minutes.
Artur Boruc ensured that the Saints won for only the second time in 10 Premier League games with a crucial reflex save from Shane Long late on, as Mauricio Pochettino's men recorded a slender victory.
Below, Sports Mole analyses whether the result was reflective of the action on the South Coast.
Match statistics
Southampton
Shots: 18
On target: 5
Possession: 62%
Corners: 4
Fouls: 11
West Brom
Shots: 4
On target: 2
Possession: 38%
Corners: 4
Fouls: 17
Was the result fair?
Southampton were dominant throughout without ever converting their possession into sustained barrages on the West Brom goal. They were comfortably deserving victors.
Southampton's performance
The Saints certainly weren't at their best today, but they did enough. Their passing was neat and quick but often not in the right areas, and all of their first-half attempts were from distance. With three men in the centre of the park, they won the midfield battle but then struggled to get enough bodies forward in support of Rickie Lambert, until Gaston Ramirez came on for the more defensive-minded Jack Cork. The return of Boruc in goal is a massive boost and the Pole showed his worth to the team with an 89th-minute heroics to thwart Long. Luke Shaw and Morgan Schneiderlin were both very good, while Lallana took his goal with great confidence.
West Brom's performance
Incoming boss Mel has a lot of work to do. Not until the final five minutes did the visitors pose any sort of attacking threat. Long, usually such a willing runner, and the wandering Nicolas Anelka, showed little purposeful movement, while the younger, hungrier Saido Berahino and Matej Vydra were more keen to impress. Mel may look to those two and Victor Anichebe to lead his Baggies line in the future, but there is not a great deal wrong with them at the other end, although Stephen Reid was exposed by Morgan Amalfitano's poor protection as Shaw ran him ragged down the Albion right. It was not one of Youssouf Mulumbu's better days, but the midfielder was outnumbered in the centre of the park and Downing may have been better off going with Claudio Yacob alongside him and James Morrison, rather than 4-4-2.
Sports Mole's man of the match
Luke Shaw: The full-back attacked with pace and purpose, and defended with strength and composure. Amalfitano barely had a kick all game and spent most of the match chasing Shaw down the Southampton left, from where his service was generally pretty good. He's a real physical specimen at such a young age, as well as being technically gifted. Another standout showing from the 18-year-old.
Biggest gaffe
Boruc should be given great credit for his wonderful reactions when saving from Long late on, but the former Reading striker should undoubtedly have scored. He directed his six-yard shot towards the only part of the goal that Boruc could reach. From that distance, had he gone high or found the corner, it was a goal and a point for the Baggies.
Referee performance
This was one of Howard Webb's quieter afternoons in recent weeks. The only big call he had to make was whether or not to send off Jonas Olsson for his forceful, high-footed challenge on Lallana midway through the second period. He showed the Swede a yellow card when it could and probably should have been red.
What next?
Southampton: The Saints will be hoping to make up further ground on their rivals for European qualification when they travel to Sunderland next weekend. Then Yeovil Town await in the FA Cup.
West Brom: Mel will make his Premier League managerial bow when the Baggies host impressive Everton next Monday evening. They then travel to Aston Villa for the West Midlands derby.
Joe Fish
