Match Pack: Saints vs Norwich

Saints vs Norwich

Premier League

St Mary’s Stadium

Friday 25 February, 8pm GMT

Referee: Simon Hooper.

Assistants: Simon Long, Nick Hopton.

Fourth official: Graham Scott.

VAR: Jarred Gillett.

Assistant VAR: Sian Massey-Ellis.

Saints will be looking to extend their four match unbeaten streak in the Premier League after a dominant performance over Everton at St Mary’s last time out.

Hasenhüttl’s men could overtake Brighton in the league standings with victory over Norwich taking them up to ninth after an impressive start to 2022.

It’s been a difficult couple of weeks for Norwich, with Burnley’s resurgence and tough battles against title contenders Liverpool and Manchester City leaving them bottom of the Premier League table.

Their 2022 got off to a much more positive start, though, and they’ll be looking to find the form that saw them claim victories over Watford and Everton in January.

TEAM NEWS

Romain Perraud returns for Saints as he has completed his self-isolation period after contracting Covid-19, while Nathan Tella, Alex McCarthy and Lyanco all remain out for Saints.

For the visitors, Lukas Rupp, Adam Idah, Tim Krul, Jacob Sorensen and Andrew Omobamidele will all miss the clash through injury.

THE MANAGERS

Ralph Hasenhüttl: "The Premier League is too strong to lean back. The guys are hungry and they want to show up again."

Dean Smith: "We've beaten them once and we can take confidence and belief but we certainly have to go and perform to get a result there."

ONES TO WATCH

Stuart Armstrong: With his season plagued by injury early on, it seems as though the Scot is coming back to his best form. Dangerous both on and off the ball, Armstrong’s hard work paid off against Everton as he gave Saints the lead.

Milot Rashica: After netting his first Premier League goal for Norwich against Liverpool, Rashica will be looking to build at St Mary’s on Friday.

TOP SCORERS

Southampton:

Goals:
Armando Broja 8
Elyounoussi, Adams 7
James Ward-Prowse 6

James Ward-Prowse 7

Nathan Redmond 6

Elyounoussi, Walker-Peters 3

Teamu Pukki 6

Joshua Sargent 4

Tzolis, Rashica, McLean 2

Pukki, Sargent, Tzolis, Rashica, Gilmour 2

Played: 130

Saints: 51

Draws: 38

Norwich: 41

- Shane Long scored his first goal in 25 Premier League appearances in Southampton’s 2-0 win against Everton last time out. He last scored in consecutive games in the competition back in April 2019.

- Southampton’s Che Adams has been involved in a goal in each of his last three Premier League games, scoring against Tottenham and Manchester United, and assisting against Everton. He’s never registered a goal involvement in four consecutive top-flight appearances before.

- Southampton have lost just once at home in the Premier League this season and are unbeaten in their last nine at St Mary’s (W4 D5). They last had a longer unbeaten home run in the top-flight between October 2004 and March 2005 (12 games).

- Southampton have lost just one of their eight Premier League home games against Norwich (W5 D2), going down 1-0 in January 1994. Saints have won their last three against the Canaries at St Mary’s, netting nine goals in these games.

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