Match Pack: Saints vs Watford

Southampton vs Watford

Premier League

St Mary’s Stadium

Sunday 13th March, 2pm GMT

Referee: Graham Scott

Assistants: Adrian Holmes, Matthew Wilkes

Fourth official: Kevin Friend

VAR: Peter Bankes

Assistant VAR: Derek Eaton

Both sides head into Sunday’s encounter having suffered a disappointing week to date.

Saints return to St Mary’s having lost to Newcastle and Aston Villa in the last eight days, while Watford head to the south coast after defeats to Wolves and Arsenal.

With a win needed by both teams to avoid a disappointing run of form, Ralph Hasenhütt’s side will be keen to remain in the top half of the table while the Hornets will be looking to close the three-point gap to Everton in 17th and Premier League safety.

TEAM NEWS

Mohammed Salisu came through Thursday's match unscathed on his return to the side following a hamstring injury. However, Sunday will come too soon for Nathan Tella who has returned to training.

Alex McCarthy and Lyanco remain longer-term absentees.

THE MANAGERS

Ralph Hasenhüttl: "Two teams are meeting each other who haven't been the most successful during the week, so it will be important who makes it better, analyses better and finds better answers for the weekend. Hopefully we are."

Roy Hodgson: "Unfortunately, defeats hurt and defeats leave scars, so we’ve got to do our best to put that behind us and prepare for the next game, because we do start 0-0, we do start on a level playing field."

ONES TO WATCH

Stuart Armstrong: Scoring on Thursday night against Newcastle, the Scotland international is back to his influential best after an injury disrupted first-half of the campaign.

Anticipating Watford to defend with numbers behind the ball, Armstrong's close control and dribbling ability could prove vital to breaking the visitors' lines.

Emmanuel Dennis: In a season of struggle for the Hornets, Emmanuel Dennis has been a shining light at Vicarage Road.

With nine goals this season, matching the tally of Armando Broja, the Nigerian completed more dribbles and won more ground duels than any other player against Wolves on Thursday.

TOP SCORERS

Southampton:

Goals:
Armando Broja 9
Ché Adams 8
Ward-Prowse, Elyounoussi 7

Assists:
James Ward-Prowse 7
Nathan Redmond 6
Kyle Walker-Peters 4

Emmanuel Dennis 9

King, Sarr 5

Hernández, Pedro 3

Dennis, Femenía 5

King, Hernández 3

Tom Cleverley 2

Played: 56

Saints: 25

Draws: 13

Watford: 18

October 2021: Watford 0-1 Saints (Adams)

June 2020: Watford 1-3 (Ings 2, Ward-Prowse)

November 2019: Saints 2-1 Watford (Ings, Ward-Prowse)

April 2019: Watford 1-1 Saints (Long)

November 2018: Saints 1-1 Watford (Gabbiadini)

- Southampton are unbeaten in their last six Premier League games against Watford, winning each of the last three in a row (D3).

- James Ward-Prowse has scored four goals in his last five Premier League starts against Watford. Against no side has he scored more goals in the competition than his four against the Hornets.

- Ché Adams has scored in five of his last six Premier League games against promoted sides, netting in all four such appearances this season. The only Southampton player to score in five consecutive Premier League games against promoted sides is Matt Le Tissier, who did so between December 1993 and October 1994.

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