Tonda Eckert believes Southampton fans made the difference in tense ending

Southampton manager Tonda Eckert dedicated his side’s 3-2 win over West Brom to the fans as their impressive run of form continued.

Championship top-scorer Adam Armstrong netted twice to help Eckert to his sixth win in seven games at the helm.

But the hosts had to survive a second-half fightback from the Baggies after being 3-0 up at half-time.

Eckert said: “The very positive thing is that if you have those home games and they become tight towards the end, that you also have a crowd that can bring the game over the line for you.

“I honestly want to thank everyone who came out to St Mary’s today because that made a hell of a difference.”

Saints looked to be cruising to victory when Armstrong struck twice to add to Leo Scienza’s early opener, before goals from Karlan Grant and Nathaniel Phillips gave the Baggies hope in the second half.

The south-coast side’s resurgence under Eckert since he replaced Will Still has moved them to within a point of the play-offs and he admitted it is a luxury to be discussing his team’s shortcomings while they are still winning games.

He said: “If we have come to the point that we try to look for bits, even though we win, I think that we’ve come quite to a good state.

“At the same time, obviously we struggled a little bit more in the second half than in the last two games, I think for different reasons. That is definitely something that we’re going to address.”

West Brom boss Ryan Mason has now seen his side lose seven away games in a row and the questions surrounding his future at the club are growing louder, with the away fans booing their team off at half-time.

He said: “I don’t read the press so in terms of rumours, it’s irrelevant. I’m not a coach, I’m not a manager, I’m not a person who makes excuses in life.

“My job is to turn up every day and try and change the situation, away from home especially.

“The squad is certainly good enough to be in a better position than we are in the league.

“The way we lost the game is difficult to accept. There were some individual mistakes and that can happen, but I think a lack of belief is something which upsets me more.

“I probably believe in this group more than they believe in themselves at the minute. But of course, I understand football, I’m not stupid. To lose the amount of games that we have is not good enough for this football club.”