West Brom v Southampton - Albion could use a welcome distraction

Alan Pardew has pedigree in the FA Cup, and has won more matches for Albion in that competition than he has in the league.

If last month’s visit to Anfield is anything to go by, the players may benefit from playing with more freedom and without the relentless pressure of the survival fight that has seemed to weigh down on them recently.

But it shouldn’t be forgotten that there is a quarter-final place at stake. Beat Southampton tomorrow and the Baggies will be one game from Wembley.

A day out at the national stadium is nothing less than Albion’s intrepid supporters deserve towards the end of an abysmal season that is lurching towards the seemingly inevitable.

Many went there with Gary Megson earlier this season, but there’s a chance for thousands more from all corners of the country to descend on one place, hoping for glory.

That is still two games away, and this team have only won a handful all season, but in the 50th anniversary year of the 1968 FA Cup triumph, there is nothing wrong with dreaming.

There is also revenge at stake.

Southampton gave Albion’s survival hopes a huge hammer blow just two weeks ago and, now they return to The Hawthorns, those in blue and white should be gagging to retaliate.

Hopefully that has been one of the topics of discussion during their team-building trip to Spain this week.

Whether that warm weather training in Barcelona has worked or not will become evident over these 90 minutes.

Pardew didn’t have several key players for that 3-2 defeat a fortnight ago, and it showed.

Albion were too slow in central midfield and too slow at the back.

Jonny Evans, Kieran Gibbs and Grzegorz Krychowiak will all help his cause against Mario Lemina and company and hopefully the Baggies have wised up to former Juventus man’s tricks by now.

Jake Livermore and Daniel Sturridge will sit out with hamstring injuries.

That means top scorer Jay Rodriguez, who has five goals in his last seven starts, will belatedly get his chance against his old club.

Egyptian defender Ali Gabr is finally available for selection after receiving his work permit, but he’s unlikely to be thrown into the line-up and will probably only make the bench at best.

Like the Exeter City tie in the third round, this match gives Albion an opportunity to get back to winning ways. But lose it, and the happy distraction that fans had been clinging to will be lost.

After a tumultuous week in the boardroom, bowing out of the FA Cup to the same team they lost to a fortnight ago might just be an irreparable dent to confidence.

Albion need something to cling onto as they enter the business end of the season.

Key Man - Jay Rodriguez

Jay Rodriguez has a point to prove after being harshly dropped in favour of Daniel Sturridge. Can he find the form that saw him net five in seven?

Dangerman - Mario Lemina

The former Juventus midfielder tore Albion apart two weeks ago. Not only did he send an unstoppable rocket into Ben Foster’s corner, but he ran the show from midfield while making Gareth Barry and Claudio Yacob looking very ordinary. Grzegorz Krychowiak will need to have his wits about him to keep up.