Adam Lallana gave his mum an unexpected birthday present with his sweetly-struck winner and gave Southampton a deserved victory.

Saints substitute Gaston Ramirez received most acclaim for the killer pass which led to the game’s only goal and gifted his manager Mauricio Pocchetino a welcome win.

Yet Albion’s head coach, Pepe Mel, who was Pocchetino’s teacher for six years while he studied for his pro-licence in Spain, might have had something to celebrate had striker Shane Long not wasted a wonderful chance to equalise in the dying minutes after Liam Ridgewell had set him up.

A forlorn Long was last to leave the field after his point-blank finish was brilliantly saved by Saints goalkeeper Artur Boruc following Ridgewell’s low cross from the left.

Lallana had fired his sixth goal of the season in the 66th minute after Ramirez had conjured a superb pass on the turn, full of pace and curl. ‘Happy Birthday Mum’ read Lallana’s T-shirt, gleefully displayed for television cameras during his celebration.

‘Yes, happy birthday,’ added Pocchetino for good measure afterwards, although he was careful to acknowledge that Ramirez and his assist had been ‘great’.

Ramirez had barely been on the field for five minutes after Pocchetino finally plucked up the courage to make a positive substitution and take off Saints holding midfielder Jack Cork.

Ramirez might have scored himself immediately after Long’s big miss but lifted his finish weakly at Albion keeper Ben Foster. Earlier Rickie Lambert had wasted four opportunities to score as Saints lacked a ruthless touch and a dangerous final pass.

‘We were ultra-offensive,’ claimed Pocchetino somewhat wildly, though he could afford to exaggerate with the points safely in the bag.

Albion had defended bravely but they lacked penetration up front until Long’s inviting moment right at the death. The Irishman handed his shirt apologetically to the away fans at the end before disappearing down the tunnel.

There is much work for Mel to do at West Brom as he seeks to develop an attacking brand of possession football and Albion have made it clear to the Spaniard that he must do so with their existing backroom team of Keith Downing and Dean Kiely, rather than replace them.

Acting manager Downing said: ‘I’ve been introduced to him. He is a warm man who wants to put some good ideas across and I’m looking forward to working with him next week. He has reassured me that he is going to embrace the current staff.’

It may be that Mel plans to strengthen his bargaining position with an impressive managerial performance between now and May before submitting a fresh request to add his two trusted assistants, David Gomez and Roberto Rios, to Albion’s list of coaching staff.

If so, he is destined to be disappointed. The club are adamant that none of Mel’s previous coaching assistants will be employed at any time because it would conflict with a long-standing structure at The Hawthorns.

The only new assistant Mel will be given in the coming week is an interpreter, who will double as his general facilitator during the new head coach’s period of acclimatisation to life in England.

—Daily Mail