The chances to steer themselves clear of trouble are starting to run out for sinking West Bromwich Albion - but they have not yet given the order to "man the lifeboats."

Nor will they, if Bryan Robson's men can finally put it all together at The Hawthorns tonight and claim a crucial victory against relegation rivals Southampton.

Unless the bottom four can start collectively winning and closing the gap on the pack, it looks increasingly like a case of perming three from the four to play in the Championship next season.

But, while their results have not yet started to match the quality of their performances under Robson, there is still a huge belief around The Hawthorns that Albion will be the ones to survive.

Twice in the past month, Albion have wasted chances to take huge strides clear against other occupants of that bottom four. They let victory slip in the last minute against Crystal Palace, before then blowing what should have been an easy win at Norwich four days later. But Robson minces no words when stressing the importance of tonight's meeting, knowing only too well the repercussions if they also let Harry Redknapp's Saints off the hook.

"Everybody knows what an important game this is for us," said Robson. "It's the biggest I've had since I've been back in management. But the lads are right up for the challenge and our fans have got to be right behind us too to help us get the response we need from the players.

"I know Harry Redknapp will be saying much the same thing to help motivate his players. We know just how big a game this is.

"Victory would take us to within two points of Crystal Palace, which is striking distance to get away from the bottom three. And it would jump us up two places too, which would be great for confidence within the club."

This match should have been played ten days ago, only to be put back because of Albion's FA Cup replay at Tottenham. And the fact that it will be the Baggies' only league game in a 29-day span between the trip to Norwich on February 5 and the visit of Blues on March 6 merely adds to its importance.

Southampton, who like Albion have just one Premiership win in three months, are a lot busier.

After the morale shattering experience of letting a two-goal lead slip at home to Brentford in the FA Cup on Saturday, this game is now squeezed in ahead of a visit from Arsenal at the weekend before their replay at Brentford a week tonight.

At least it has proved effective in helping new signing Henri Camara find his scoring touch. The on-loan Wolverhampton Wanderers striker, who was briefly on the Baggies' own shopping list in the summer, has netted four times in two-and-a-half games since making his Saints debut across the Midlands at St Andrew's three weeks ago tonight.

Camara is expected to partner former Aston Villa striker Peter Crouch, whose lastminute equaliser robbed Albion of victory at St Mary's back in October; an embarrassment of striking riches that sees Kevin Phillips likely to make only the bench. Just how punishing Southampton's schedule proves compared to Albion's remains to be seen. But it certainly helps that Robson has a squad still bubbling with enthusiasm and, even more importantly, an almost fully fit squad.

"It's going to be a difficult selection for me, " said Robson.

"It's going to be unfair on a couple who I leave out. But it's great to be in that position, rather than having players in the comfort zone.

"There's fierce competition for places. Kevin Campbell has played well alongside both Kanu and Rob Earnshaw, while Geoff Horsfield has been looking really sharp in training.

"In midfield, I've got Kieran Richardson and Jonathan Greening looking to come back in. And Martin Albrechtsen's going to be fit after his hamstring problem.

"But all I know is that the ones I do select have got to perform.

"It's a case of who can keep a calm head on the night.

"Players can go out with too much aggression; I want controlled aggression.

"And, if we can play the way we've been playing over last few weeks, I'm sure we'll get the breaks somewhere along the line.

"We've made mistakes which have cost us goals and we've seen shots go in which another day might have gone over the bar, but we haven't had any refereeing go for us.

"They say luck always even itself out. And, while it hasn't for us yet, all we can do is try and keep the performance level of the last month up."