Match Pack: Saints vs Bolton
Southampton return to St Mary’s on Saturday looking to round off a perfect week with a third straight Sky Bet Championship victory, as newly-promoted Bolton Wanderers provide the opposition. Get set for gameday with our Match Pack…
THE MATCH
Saints vs Bolton Wanderers
Sky Bet Championship
St Mary’s Stadium
Saturday 17th October, 3pm BST
THE OFFICIALS
Referee: Matt Donohue
Assistant Referees: Sam Lewis, David Harrison
Fourth Official: Dean Whitestone
THE KITS
Saints will be in the club’s familiar home strip of red and white striped shirts, black shorts and black socks, while visitors Bolton will be in all yellow with navy trim.
TICKETS
Supporters can still claim their ticket for Saturday's showdown online, but will need to be quick with limited availability.
THE PROGRAMME
Saturday’s publication is already available to buy online, and will be sold at St Mary’s on matchday for the usual price of £4.
Tom Fellows tackles our A-Z of Football feature, as the winger recalls some memorable moments from his fledgling career to date, while you can also find Tonda Eckert's notes, the latest from our Women's team and Academy, everything you need to know about our opponents, and a half-time quiz to keep the whole family entertained.
LIVE COVERAGE
Saturday's clash will be available worldwide on Saints Play except for the UK and the Nordic regions. Supporters can claim an annual or a matchday pass using the link below:
WHAT’S AT STAKE?
Saints have the chance to make it three wins on the spin after hard-fought 1-0 victories over Portsmouth and Norwich helped the team secure their first clean sheets of the Championship campaign, a first away win of the season and a first south coast derby triumph on home soil for 21 years.
Tonda Eckert’s side will also be determined to extend their perfect home league record to six wins out of six, but Bolton have had some impressive results of their own in recent weeks.
Promoted from League One via the play-offs last season, the Trotters have won three of their last four, including a thrilling 4-3 victory at Norwich and a stunning 3-1 win at Wolves on Tuesday night.
TEAM NEWS
Saints: Cameron Bragg will be available again after serving a one-game ban at Norwich, while Flynn Downes will need to be assessed after he was forced off in the first half at Carrow Road with an ankle injury.
Bolton: Kyliane Dong is back in contention for the visitors after the winger missed the win at Wolves due to illness. In Dong’s absence, Samuel Iling-Junior returned to the side and Academy prospect Max Lott was named on the bench for the first time.
Bolton have no fresh injury concerns, but Saturday’s game will come too soon for Chris Forino as he continues his recovery from a groin issue.
THE MANAGERS
Tonda Eckert: “It’s not so easy to top what we had last weekend [against Portsmouth], but we will make sure we do everything on the pitch to get the crowd with us again.
“It’s a big one for us to finish this week off strong.”
Steven Schumacher: "What I've seen of them (Saints) so far, I think they're the best team in the league. A lot of teams in League One, when we went away from home, would still be happy with a point last year. There are instances where they don't attack you as much and then it's more difficult for you to break them down.
"They (Saints) will come and have a go at us. So if we can defend well enough and hit them on the counter-attack, and cause them problems with our play when we have possession, then we'll be okay."
ONES TO WATCH
Caspar Jander: It’s been a huge boost for Saints to have the German midfielder available again after Jander made his first appearance of the season as a second-half substitute in the south coast derby.
He then made an earlier-than-planned appearance off the bench at Norwich, playing 68 minutes and winning the Player of the Match vote on the Saints app for his performance. Now the question is whether Eckert asks him to start on Saturday.
Sam Dalby: Bolton’s Player of the Year in their promotion season, Dalby hit 14 goals in all competitions in 2025/26, including one in their triumphant play-off final against Stockport.
The striker has spent time at Leeds and Watford in the past but had never previously played in the Championship prior to this season, although that has not stopped him contributing four goals to date, including in both of Bolton’s recent victories at Norwich and Wolves.
TOP PERFORMERS
Saints
Goals:
Larin 8
Azaz, Scienza 3
Matsuki 2
Assists:
Azaz 7
Downes, Manning, Scienza 2
Mubama, Bree, Matsuki, Bragg, Edozie, Ward-Prowse 1
Bolton
Goals:
Dalby 4
Gale 3
Itō 2
Assists:
Larrazabal 2
Seven players 1
FORM GUIDE
Saints
Norwich (a) SBC: W 1-0 (Matsuki)
Portsmouth (h) SBC: W 1-0 (Bree)
Wrexham (a) SBC: L 1-2 (Ward-Prowse)
Bristol City (h) SBC: W 4-1 (Larin 2, Matsuki, Azaz)
Swansea (h) SBC: W 3-1 (Azaz, Larin, Scienza)
Bolton
Wolves (a) SBC: W 3-1 (Itō, Dalby, Sheehan)
Stoke (h) SBC: L 1-2 (Bair)
Norwich (a) SBC: W 4-3 (Gale, Larrazabal, Dalby, Itō)
Cardiff (h) SBC: W 1-0 (Gale)
West Ham (h) SBC: L 2-3 (Erhahon, Rodrigues pen)
HEAD TO HEAD
Played: 42
Saints wins: 11
Draws: 14
Bolton wins: 17
LAST FIVE MEETINGS
Aug 2010: Saints 0-1 Bolton League Cup second round
Apr 2005: Bolton 1-1 Saints Premier League (Phillips)
Aug 2004: Saints 1-2 Bolton Premier League (Crouch)
Apr 2004: Saints 1-2 Bolton Premier League (Pahars)
Dec 2003: Bolton 1-0 Saints League Cup quarter-final
KEEP UP TO DATE
Not making the midweek trip to Norwich? Download the official Saints app to follow live in-match updates and follow us on social media for further updates and exclusive content:
