Match Pack: Saints vs Brighton
Premier League action returns to St Mary’s as Southampton host Brighton on Boxing Day. This and more in today’s Match Pack, in association with eToro …
Saints vs Brighton and Hove Albion
Premier League
St Mary’s Stadium
Monday 26th December, 3pm GMT
Referee: Robert Jones.
Assistants: Lee Betts, Ian Hussin.
Fourth official: Dean Whitestone.
VAR: Michael Salisbury.
Assistant VAR: Scott Ledger.
Nathan Jones takes charge at St Mary’s for the first time in the Premier League as Brighton travel along the south coast on Boxing Day.
It’s a huge opportunity for Saints to showcase the work put in over the mid-season break, with the team looking to get themselves out of the bottom three before the New Year.
Sitting 19th in the current standings, just two points adrift of safety, Saints will be looking to change the form that saw them slip to that position in their Premier League matches shortly before the break.
With victory over Lincoln and a spot in the Carabao Cup quarter finals secured in midweek, the momentum could help Jones’s side in a tough battle in SO14.
For Brighton, they’ll be hoping to continue their impressive form in the league as they currently sit seventh in the table.
Despite midweek defeat to League One Charlton Athletic, Robert De Zerbi will be hoping his side can bounce back and continue to build in the league.
Saints remain without Tino Livramento and Juan Larios who require more time in training before returning to the fold, while Theo Walcott remains a doubt after being forced off in Saints’ Carabao Cup clash with Lincoln after just eight minutes.
The visitors will be without World Cup winner Alex Mac Allister when they visit St Mary’s on Monday, with Danny Welbeck and Adam Webster also ruled out of the clash.
“We’re going to have to be at our best to get anything, but this is the test we want. This is the test of Premier League football. We’re going to come up against some fantastic sides and Brighton are no different.”
“But the mentality of the group is strong and we know our level, so we will be be ready for the next game against Southampton.”
ONES TO WATCH
Netting twice in midweek against League One Lincoln, Ché Adams will no doubt be eager to add to his goal scoring tally for the season on Boxing Day.
Fresh off the back of his impressive World Cup spell with Ecuador and in the absence of Alexis Mac Allister, Moisés Caicedo will be looking to replicate similar form for his club.
Ché Adams 6
Perraud, Ward-Prowse, Aribo 2
Perraud, Ward-Prowse 2
Leandro Trossard 7
Groß, Mac Allister 5
Kaoru Mitoma 2
Trossard, Groß, Welbeck, March 2
Played: 77
Saints: 36
Draws: 20
Brighton: 21
April 2022: Brighton 2-2 Saints (Ward-Prowse)
December 2021: Saints 1-1 Brighton (Broja)
March 2021: Saints 1-2 Brighton (Adams)
December 2020: Brighton 1-2 Saints (Vestergaard, Ings)
July 2020: Saints 1-1 Brighton (Ings)
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