Martin set to pay with his job if Saints fail to deliver
RUSSELL MARTIN heads into Friday’s play- off decider against West Bromwich Albion knowing that defeat could hasten the end of his time as Southampton manager.
Saints will believe they can finish the job in front of their own fans and seal their place in the final at Wembley — where the winner will claim not just promotion to the Premier League but an estimated £200million windfall for a campaign in the top flight.
Yet if West Brom prevail in the second leg at St Mary’s, Martin will have failed in his most important task — to return Southampton instantly to the elite level. Clubs who benefit from parachute payments — designed to ease the pain of relegation — are under greater pressure to deliver and if their managers do not handle it, their position becomes immediately more shaky.
Thanks largely to goalkeepers Alex McCarthy and Alex Palmer, the score remained blank here as it had in the earlier game between Norwich City and Leeds United — the first time that has happened in the Championship play-offs for 13 years.
The two sides here suffered in the heat, with Saints midfielder Flynn Downes claiming he had been sunburned and struggling to breathe during the early part of the game.
‘We can definitely do a lot better and that is the exciting thing for us,’ said Martin. ‘We have to win a game at home to get to Wembley.
‘It was important to avoid any damage ahead of the home leg. We didn’t start brilliantly but we defended well and to keep a clean sheet is nice.
‘When there’s a lot at stake, you are tense and your legs can feel heavy as a player. Maybe that is part of the reason why both games ended 0-0 today. I was sweating on the sidelines so I dread to think what it must have been like out there in the heat.’
In front of American owner Shilen Patel, West Brom competed well against a team who finished 12 points above them in the regular season and will be far from disheartened with the first-leg outcome.
Their manager Carlos Corberan said: ‘Friday is the second half. Normally you have 15 minutes to prepare the second half but this time we have four days, so let’s use them as well as we can. We have a massive opportunity to go to Wembley.’
As ever here, the pre-match DJ had turned the sound up to 11 and in the early stages, it looked like West Brom would follow suit.
Corberan’s men flew out of the blocks and forced three early corners, though they could not create a clear chance despite asserting themselves so impressively.
Saints gradually found their footing and might have taken the lead in the 15th minute. Joe Aribo found Kyle Walker-Peters on the right, and his angled effort clipped Conor Townsend and almost crept in at the far post.
Moments later, Aribo was involved again, playing a return pass that put Downes through on Palmer. The Albion goalkeeper saved with his feet and though the ball looped to Adam Armstrong, Saints’ No 9 failed to put his volley on target. Shortly after a drinks break, Sekou Mara’s overhead kick flew just high and wide before the home side went desperately close to taking the lead.
Tom Fellows had threatened in spells on the right and the winger’s enticing cross was met by Grady Diangana’s downward header. McCarthy just about managed to keep it out and was relieved to see Jack Stephens put it behind for a corner.
By now Walker- Peters had become a target for the home fans for making the most of hefty challenges from Townsend and Mikey Johnston, though Saints could not profit from either free-kick.
Downes was smooth in midfield and after he had eased away from Okay Yokuslu, Darnell Furlong produced an excellent block from Aribo’s crisp shot.
Moments after being booked, Johnston created one of the best chances of the match when he sped away down the left and his
cross was steered a fraction wide by Furlong.
With 12 minutes left, Saints needed McCarthy to bail them out after Fellows skipped past two and teed up Diangana, who saw his effort from an ideal position stopped.
And moments later the visitors came even closer as substitute Ross Stewart’s strike clipped Kyle Bartley but was somehow diverted away by Palmer. Though the goalkeeper was off balance, he still managed to clear the danger with his right foot.
That brought a delay as Corberan made four substitutions though Saints could not take advantage of the confusion and their corner came to nothing.
Albion screamed for a penalty when Diangana nutmegged Ryan Fraser and seemed to be held back but referee Samuel Barrott gave the Saints substitute the benefit of the doubt and the visitors survived.