Match Pack: Watford vs Saints
It’s the final matchday before the first international break of the season, as Southampton travel to Vicarage Road to take on Watford. Get set for another away day with our Match Pack…
THE MATCH
Watford vs Saints
Sky Bet Championship
Vicarage Road
Saturday 30th August, 3pm BST
THE OFFICIALS
Referee: Farai Hallam
Assistants: Robert Hyde, Bhupinder Singh Gill
Fourth official: Declan Bourne
THE KITS
There’s plenty of red on the Watford strip this year, with the hosts wearing yellow and red striped shirts, red shorts and red socks.
That means it’ll be a first competitive outing for Saints’ third kit of black shorts, white shorts and black socks at Vicarage Road.
Cameron Archer in the Saints third kit for the pre-season friendly against Brighton
TICKETS
Away tickets have sold out, with Saints fans snapping up the full allocation of 2,258 tickets.
LIVE COVERAGE
For those without a ticket, Saints Play match passes are available for supporters outside the UK.
WHAT’S AT STAKE?
Saints and Watford have been regular opponents in recent years – this will be the 18th meeting in the past decade, including four in four months during the 2023/24 campaign.
This time around, both teams have started the Championship season with identical records: one win, one draw, one defeat.
The Hornets were undone by late goals on the opening day at Charlton, where they lost 1-0, and last time out at Swansea, where they had to settle for a 1-1 draw, but did beat QPR 2-1 in between in their only home league game to date.
Saints’ unbeaten start was ended by Stoke last weekend, but Will Still’s side did bounce back with a comprehensive 3-0 victory at Norwich – who won at Watford in the first round – in the Carabao Cup.
TEAM NEWS
Watford head coach Paulo Pezzolano will be without a number of players, with Imrân Louza serving the second game of a three-match suspension.
Giorgi Chakvetadze (foot), Caleb Wiley (adductor muscle) and Jack Grieves (ankle) are all continuing with their rehabilitation, while new signing Nampalys Mendy is not in contention to make his debut just yet.
Belgian midfielder Pierre Dwomoh is edging closer to being available as he steps up his recovery from a thigh problem, while centre-back Mattie Pollock could return from a hamstring injury.
For Saints, Welington is a long-term absentee who is set to miss “a couple of months” with the ankle injury that forced him off in the first half against Stoke.
Will Smallbone and James Bree remain sidelined, while Adam Armstrong’s availability is “a question mark” according to manager Will Still, who was forced to withdraw the striker at half time against the Potters due to a back problem.
THE MANAGERS
Paulo Pezzolano: "We know the quality Imrân (Louza, suspended) has and he is an important player. We have other players who can do a really good job in that position.
"We prefer having the ball as long as we can, we would love to have it 80% of the time, but unfortunately for us right now that's not possible. What is super important for us is that players understand the moments and what to do in each phase of the game – when we have the ball and we don't have the ball."
Will Still: “They (Watford) are a good team, a really good team. They’ve changed system, they’ve adapted to a few things, but, like us, they’ve pretty much got the same results. They’ll be looking to pick up three points.
“Going forward they’ve got a lot of speed and a lot of threat in behind, so we’re going to have to be alert and ready to defend that. In midfield they’ve got power, experience and knowhow to manage games. It’s the Championship, isn’t it? I don’t think you get an easy game.”
ONES TO WATCH
Luca Kjerrumgaard: Giant centre-forward Kjerrumgaard stands at 6ft 6in tall and arrived in the summer with an impressive strike rate in Denmark, scoring 22 goals in 28 league games for Odense in the second tier. He’s already proved he can find the net in the Championship, getting off the mark for Watford with a brace against QPR on his home debut.
Ryan Fraser: Proving to be a revelation under Will Still in the early weeks of the manager’s reign, Fraser has excelled in a number of different positions already this season. He followed up an assist for Jay Robinson at Ipswich with his first goal in 18 months at Norwich on Tuesday night, and was voted Player of the Match by fans on the Saints App for his performance.
HEAD TO HEAD
Played: 61
Watford wins: 19
Draws: 15
Saints wins: 27
LAST FIVE MEETINGS
Apr 2024: Saints 3-2 Watford Championship (Smallbone, Adams, Downes)
Feb 2024: Saints 3-0 Watford FA Cup fourth round replay (Mara 2, Adams)
Jan 2024: Watford 1-1 Saints FA Cup fourth round (S. Armstrong)
Dec 2023: Watford 1-1 Saints Championship (Adams)
Mar 2022: Saints 1-2 Watford Premier League (Elyounoussi)
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