Match Pack: Saints vs Leeds
It’s a return to Premier League action this weekend, as Southampton host Leeds United on Saturday. Get set for the return to St Mary’s with our Match Pack…
THE MATCH
Southampton vs Leeds United
Premier League
St Mary’s Stadium
Saturday 16th October, 3pm BST
THE OFFICIALS
Referee: David Coote
Assistants: Dan Cook, Nick Hopton
Fourth official: John Brooks
VAR: Lee Mason
Assistant VAR: Mark Scholes
WHICH KIT WILL SAINTS BE WEARING?
Saints will be wearing their red and black home kit on Saturday.
WHAT’S AT STAKE?
Saints will see these consecutive home games at the end of October as the perfect chance for them to grab their first win of the season, starting with Saturday’s meeting with Leeds.
Both sides sit at the wrong end of the table as it stands, Saturday’s visitors sitting two points ahead of Saints after claiming their first win of the season last-time-out against Watford.
If Ralph Hasenhüttl’s side were to replicate what Marcelo Bielsa’s men did at Elland Road, they could leapfrog their opponents and rise to as high as 14th in the standings.
Following the recent international break, Scotland’s Ché Adams returned with a muscle injury which rules him out of Saturday’s fixture.
Adams joins defender Jack Stephens on the injury list, who continues to recover from a knee injury picked up at Manchester City.
Stuart Armstrong returned to the matchday squad against Chelsea before the break, providing Hasenhüttl with another key midfield option in the absence of captain James Ward-Prowse who serves the first of his three-game suspension.
Leeds could be without three key names for the trip to the South Coast on Saturday, with Patrick Bamford a certainty to miss out.
Joining him could be Kalvin Phillips, who will be assess on the injury that saw him miss England duty, and Raphinha, who has a short turnaround to be ready following his World Cup Qualifier against Uruguay at 1.30am BST.
“It is one of the most intense games of the season. The average numbers of passes the opponents play against them is the lowest of the whole league.
“It will be not always nice to watch, because of the pressure both teams put on the other side. It’s more about winning duals, winning second balls, coming out of pressure as quick as possible and use the space properly. We have to be prepared for everything they offer us.”
“We are absolutely sure Southampton are going to be very difficult to overcome. How they solve some difficult games they have played, for example against Man City.
“You see what I am commenting has a lot of basis in reality. Apart from that it’s very difficult for someone to think we can interpret a game as accessible before having played it.”
Currently Saints’ top goalscorer this season, Elyounoussi continued his positive club form during October’s international fixtures.
After playing the full 90 minutes in a competitive 1-1 draw with Turkey on Friday, the Norwegian midfielder went on to score both goals during a vital 2-0 win over Montenegro on Monday.
Rodrigo: In the likely absence of Patrick Bamford and Raphina, the onus will be on Brazilian Rodrigo to produce as a false nine.
Despite not netting yet this season this is exactly the type of fixture which could see the forward kick-on and look to replicate his 10 goal involvements in his maiden Premier League season last year.
TOP PERFORMERS
Southampton:
Goals:
Mohamed Elyounoussi 4
Broja, Ward-Prowse 2
Tella, Walker-Peters, A. Armstrong, Diallo, Redmond, Salisu 1
Assists:
Elyounoussi, Ward-Prowse 2
Tella, Walker-Peters, Redmond, Adams, Romeu 1
Leeds:
Goals:
Raphinha 3
Jack Harrison 2
Phillips, Klich, Ayling, Bamford, Llorente 1
Assists:
Patrick Bamford 3
Dallas, Klich, Cooper, Harrison 1
HEAD TO HEAD
Played: 94
Saints: 27
Draws: 20
Leeds United: 47
LAST FIVE MEETINGS
May 2021: Saints 0-2 Leeds
February 2021: Leeds 3-0 Saints
October 2012: Leeds 3-0 Saints
March 2012: Leeds 0-1 Saints (Lambert)
August 2011: Saints 3-1 Leeds (Hammond, Lallana, Connolly)
DID YOU KNOW?
This will be the first Premier League game Saints will play without a James Ward-Prowse since 27th December 2018, a 2-1 defeat to West Ham at St Mary’s.
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