Clasie finish secures win for Saints

ON HIS 37th Premier League appearance, Jordy Clasie finally gave the headline writers a moment to cherish. The Southampton midfielder scored his first top-flight goal with a strike worthy of his name to reignite the race for eighth that everyone is talking about.

Joking aside, this is a defeat that will irritate West Bromwich Albion greatly. For so long Tony Pulis’s side have been on course to finish in the highest position anybody might have expected of them – behind only Everton and the established top six – but suddenly Southampton are looming large in the rearview mirror.

Four points for from their two games in hand will see Claude Puel’s team leapfrog West Brom and the desire from Pulis and his players to avoid that fate was illustrated by the final frantic exchanges at The Hawthorns.

Fraser Forster was required to make two fine saves in stoppage time to ensure his tenth clean sheet in the Premier League.

For all Southampton’s pretty play, they are not against the occasional long ball when operating with a centre-forward brought up on the GAA.

Shane Long’s spring allowed him to gain control of Forster’s clearance and feed Dusan Tadic, who ignored James Ward-Prowse in space on the right to lay back to Clasie.

The diminutive Dutch midfielder struck a glorious finish into the top corner leaving Foster no chance.