Southampton will look to extend their unbeaten run on Saturday when Wolves visit St Mary's. Get set for the Premier League encounter with our Match Pack, in association with eToro...
THE MATCH
Southampton vs Wolverhampton Wanderers
Premier League
St Mary’s
Saturday 18th January 3.00pm GMT
THE OFFICIALS
Referee: Darren England
Assistants: Lee Betts, Darren Cann
Fourth official: David Coote
VAR: Craig Pawson
Assistant VAR: Scott Ledger
WHAT’S AT STAKE?
Saints will be looking to continue their perfect start to 2020, with three victories to their name so far in the New Year.
Having toppled both Tottenham and Leicester in recent weeks, Ralph Hasenhüttl’s side will target another top 10 scalp when Wolves visit St Mary’s.
If they manage to do so they’ll draw level on points with seventh-placed Wanderers, whilst the visitors will be looking to record a first win in four and bounce back from their FA Cup exit at the hands of Manchester United in midweek.
With Saints looking to build on the momentum gathered from a six-match unbeaten run, Nuno Espírito Santo’s side will be looking to create some of their own after a stuttering patch of form.
TEAM NEWS
Manager Ralph Hasenhüttl has praised his backroom staff for guiding the squad through the hectic festive period unscathed.
Yan Valery remains the only absentee as he continues to recover from a viral infection, with Saints otherwise at full strength.
For Wolves, Ruben Vinagre has been ruled out with a hamstring injury to join Diogo Jota and Willy Boly on the sidelines. However, there is a boost in the form of Adama Traoré being passed fit to feature.
FORM GUIDE
Southampton:
Leicester (a) 2-1 (Armstrong, Ings)
Huddersfield (h) 2-0 (Smallbone, Vokins) FA Cup
Tottenham (h) 1-0 (Ings)
Crystal Palace (h) 1-1 (Ings)
Chelsea (a) 2-0 (Obafemi, Redmond)
Wolves:
Man United (a) 0-1 FA Cup
Newcastle (h) 1-1 (Dendoncker)
Man United (h) 0-0 FA Cup
Watford (a) 1-2 (Neto)
Liverpool (a) 0-1
THE MANAGERS
Ralph Hasenhüttl: “Every game is important now and every game is difficult. All the opponents are strong, and we are feeling also strong at the moment, and this is important for us.
"We are looking forward to every game now, also the home games. We feel we can win at home, there is no discussion about whether it is away or home.
“We feel that the way we play helps us to be more competitive, and we enjoy it now also playing at St Mary's and I think at the weekend we must show this."
Nuno Espírito Santo: “It’s going to be very tough. [Southampton are a] very good team and they're dynamic so tomorrow is going to be a tough, tough game for us.
“It's not about the points, it's about how Southampton are playing and they are playing very well. They're very well organised, press well and have speed so it will be very tough but we are ready. We’re going to Southampton to compete."
ONES TO WATCH
Danny Ings: The striker’s goal return in the last 10 games speaks for itself. With nine goals to his name since the end of November, Ings has been at the heart of Saints’ resurgence in the Premier League.
Netting in the last three games consecutively – worth seven points – the 27-year-old will be hope to be on the score sheet once again, as he was at Molineux back in October.
Adama Traoré: There are arguably no attacking outlets quite like Traoré elsewhere in the Premier League.
The Spaniard’s electric pace, combined with his uncharacteristic strength for a winger, makes him a deadly force to be reckoned with, especially with end product added to his game in 2019/20.
TOP PERFORMERS
All competitions in 2019/20
Southampton:
Goals:
Danny Ings 16
James Ward-Prowse 4
Nathan Redmond 3
Assists:
James Ward-Prowse 4
Shane Long 3
Sofiane Boufal 2
Wolves:
Goals:
Raúl Jiménez 11
Diogo Jota 6
Adama Traoré 5
Assists:
Raúl Jiménez 8
João Moutinho 7
Adama Traoré 4
HEAD TO HEAD
Played 66
Saints 27
Draw 17
Wolves 22
LAST FIVE MEETINGS
October 2019: Wolves 1-1 Saints (Ings)
April 2019: Saints 3-1 Wolves (Redmond 2, Long)
September 2018: Wolves 2-0 Saints
August 2017: Saints 0-2 Wolves Carabao Cup
April 2009: Wolves 3-0 Saints
DID YOU KNOW?
- Only Liverpool (30) and Manchester City (22) have won more points over their last 10 Premier League matches than Southampton (20).
- Southampton have won three of their five Premier League meetings with Wolves (D1 L1), winning both home matches in 2003/04 and 2018/19.
- Wolves have lost their last five away top-flight visits against Southampton, a run stretching back to October 1980.
- Wolves’ Raúl Jiménez has been directly involved in 106 shots in the Premier League this season, having 71 efforts himself and creating 35 chances for teammates. Only Kevin De Bruyne (135) has been involved in more.
- Southampton’s Danny Ings has scored in 13 different Premier League games this season, more than any other player in the competition. The last Southampton player to score in more different league games in a season was Rickie Lambert in 2012/13 (14).
NOT AT THE GAME?
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Check out our interactive match centre at southamptonfc.com, with all of the live in-game updates and free audio commentary of the match, and be sure to follow us on social media for further updates and exclusive content:
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