Southampton head into their clash with Albion on Sunday off the back of a 5-2 defeat to Premier League leaders Manchester City.

The Saints had started the game brightly and had 71% of the possession in the opening ten minutes.

However, City took the lead with their first attack of the game in the 15th minute, after Oleksandr Zinchenko picked out Phil Foden with his cross, but his effort was saved by Alex McCarthy.

But Kevin De Bruyne was quick to react, and his rebound went in off the underside of the bar.

Southampton were then awarded a penalty in the 23rd minute, after Aymeric Laporte pulled down Jannik Vestergaard.

Skipper James Ward-Prowse stepped up and scored.

City went back in front in the 39th minute, when Che Adams cross-field pass was intercepted by Riyad Mahrez, who curled his effort into the bottom corner.

It was 3-1 just before half time, after Mahrez’s shot came back off the post and the ball fell to Ilkay Gundogan, who tapped home.

Mahrez scored his brace in the 54th minute, after he danced past two players and blasted his effort into the net.

Southampton then went straight down the other end and pulled one back after a shot hit Adams, who then took a touch and fired the ball into the net.

De Bruyne killed off any hopes of a comeback in the 59th minute, after he scored his brace.

Adams then had the ball in the net in the 85th minute, but he was offside.