Sports Mole previews Saturday’s Premier League clash between Southampton and Leicester City, including predictions, team news and possible lineups.
Two newly-promoted sides vie for three precious Premier League points on Saturday afternoon, as Southampton welcome Leicester City to St Mary’s.
The Saints put in a good shift against Arsenal two weekends ago but ultimately fell to a 3-1 defeat, whereas the Foxes finally found their bite in a 1-0 triumph over Bournemouth.
Match preview
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A match that was expected to be a foregone conclusion from the first whistle instead sprung hope of an Emirates embarrassment last weekend, where Southampton survived a first-half Arsenal onslaught and took an unforeseen lead through Cameron Archer‘s fine finish.
However, the travelling army were only on could nine for a mere three minutes, as Kai Havertz capitalised on a Saints error to draw Arsenal level, before Gabriel Martinelli‘s back-stick volley and Bukayo Saka‘s late finish completed the Arsenal turnaround.
Defeat in North London – albeit one that was not as humiliating as some envisaged – means that 19th-placed Southampton are now just one of four sides still searching for their first Premier League win of the new term, sharing that fate with Ipswich Town, Crystal Palace and basement side Wolverhampton Wanderers.
Nevertheless, the under-fire Russell Martin remains safe in the hotseat for the time being, but the Saints boss could now be part of unwanted history; if Southampton fail to win on Saturday, they will set a new club record of 21 consecutive top-flight games without a victory.
Renowned for having the lion’s share of possession, Southampton’s dominance on the ball is yet to translate into lethal attacking play, as the Saints’ meagre tally of four goals is the worst offensive record in the current Premier League season.
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While Southampton failed to cling onto a slender advantage a fortnight ago, it was a completely different story for upcoming foes Leicester City, who left Southampton behind in the winless club with a hard-fought one-goal triumph over Andoni Iraola‘s Bournemouth.
Brighton & Hove Albion-owned Facundo Buonanotte was responsible for the only goal of the contest at the King Power Stadium, as his crisp finish on the 16-minute mark earned Leicester their first league win since April, and just their third in all tournaments this term after EFL Cup successes versus Walsall and Tranmere Rovers.
As the Foxes are one of just three teams to score in every Premier League game this season – alongside Arsenal and Manchester City – a maiden win was long overdue, and Steve Cooper‘s side now reside in the relative safety of 15th place, three points above the drop zone.
Next on the Foxes boss’ agenda is snapping Leicester’s disheartening 11-game winless Premier League streak away from home, a run stretching back to their 4-2 beating of Aston Villa in February 2023, which was also the last time that they won back-to-back Premier League matches.
Five years on from infamous 9-0 St Mary’s slaughter, Leicester repeated their nine-goal trick against Southampton in the Championship last season, albeit across two matches rather than one as a 4-1 South Coast crushing preceded a 5-0 dismantling at the King Power, where Abdul Fatawu helped himself to a hat-trick.
Southampton Premier League form:
Southampton form (all competitions):
Leicester City Premier League form:
Leicester City form (all competitions):
Team News
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Prior to the win over Arsenal, Jack Stephens – who had already served a three-game ban for his red card against Manchester United – was given a further two-game suspension for using abusive language towards the officials, and he serves the second match of that punishment here.
The Saints also lost luckless striker Ross Stewart to a muscular injury in the first half of the Arsenal defeat – Martin has confirmed that he will be absent this weekend – while Yukinari Sugawara also picked up a knock but joined up with the Japan squad for the international break.
Gavin Bazunu (Achilles) is a long-term absentee, but Martin has delivered the good news that Kamaldeen Sulemana (ankle) and Will Smallbone (thigh) are both available again.
In terms of Leicester’s injury situation, Cooper has confirmed that it is as you were before the international break, and towering defender Jannik Vestergaard is now in line for his domestic return after getting some minutes under his belt for Denmark this month.
Patson Daka and Jakub Stolarczyk remain on the mend from respective ankle injuries, while Hamza Choudhury could be out for months after dislocating his shoulder in training at the start of October.
As much as Jamie Vardy loves a goal against the traditional Big Six, the Leicester skipper boasts 12 direct involvements against Southampton (eight of his own and four assists), his most against a single team in league action.
Southampton possible starting lineup:
Ramsdale; Bednarek, Harwood-Bellis, Walker-Peters; Sugawara, Aribo, Fernandes, Downes, Manning; Dibling, Archer
Leicester City possible starting lineup:
Hermansen; Justin, Okoli, Faes, Kristiansen; Ndidi, Skipp; Ayew, Buonanotte, Mavididi; Vardy
We say: Southampton 1-1 Leicester City
Defending was not on Southampton’s agenda in either meeting with Leicester last season, but the Saints could be incredibly proud of their rearguard efforts for an hour against Arsenal before silly mistakes let them down.
Martin’s men should not come out unscathed against a Leicester side who always come good in the final third, but the Foxes have already shipped eight goals on the road this term and may have to accept one point, albeit one that leaves the hosts still searching for that elusive victory.
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