West Brom relegated from Premier League
West Bromwich Albion have been relegated from the Premier League after Southampton won 1-0 at Swansea City on Tuesday night.
That result left West Brom five points from safety with one game remaining, Sunday's trip to Crystal Palace.
It means their eight-year stay in the top flight comes to an end.The Baggies - currently on 31 points from their 37 games - had hoped to reach the final day and repeat their memorable escape of the 2004-05 season.
With Stoke and West Brom's relegation confirmed, Southampton's victory has virtually guaranteed their safety due to their vastly superior goal difference over Swansea and Huddersfield.
The Terriers will confirm their survival by taking a point from their next two fixtures against Chelsea on Wednesday 9 May (19:45 BST) or Arsenal on Sunday 13 May (15:00 BST)
Too little too late?
West Brom were realistically consigned to their fate before Darren Moore took over as caretaker boss in April but it must feel like a case of what might have been for the Baggies supporters.
The former Albion defender was named Premier League manager of the month for April on Tuesday and the club's upturn since he took control of first team affairs evoked memories of their survival under Bryan Robson in 2004-05.
In that campaign, West Brom were bottom of the division and eight points from safety at Christmas but recovered to survive on the final day of the season thanks to an unlikely sequence of results.
Moore has accrued 11 points from the 15 available since being named as caretaker and reeled in a 10-point gap to five points.
Victories at Old Trafford against Manchester United and against Newcastle and Tottenham as well as draws against Swansea and Liverpool leave a question mark over what might have been if the Albion board had acted sooner.
In a message posted on Twitter on Tuesday evening, Baggies defender Kieran Gibbs wrote: "Horrible feeling to be relegated, especially after our recent form as a team.
"It's been a wild season on and off the pitch and has been a huge learning curve. Whatever has gone on this season there are no excuses - we haven't been good enough for the majority of it.
"For that we are sorry to the WBA fans, who have been quite unbelievable considering the circumstances."
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