Charlie Austin has taken this season by storm and it could help Southampton maintain the success of recent years.
Southampton striker Charlie Austin has enjoyed a fantastic start to the season with five goals in seven appearances across all competitions.
Austin was on the fringes at Southampton last season due to the fine form of Shane Long and Sadio Mane but he has seen the latter’s departure as an opportunity to nail down a first-team position and has taken the opportunity in style.
The former QPR striker begun his goal-scoring form with a brace against Sparta Prague in the Europa League before scoring in each of the Saints’ last three games, against Swansea City, Crystal Palace and West Ham United respectively.
Austin’s keen eye for a goal has seen Southampton climb into the top half despite a rocky start which saw them go without a win until the fourth game. Their most recent win against West Ham made it three wins on the bounce.
The Saints had a big void to fill over the summer with Mane departing for Liverpool and manager Ronald Koeman leaving for Everton but new boss Claude Puel is showing he can continue the success of recent years and Austin is helping him do that.
Southampton have achieved unexpected success since returning to the top flight in 2012, qualifying for Europe and regularly securing top-half finishes. In their four seasons since returning to the Premier League, Southampton have finished 14th, eighth, seventh and sixth.
Southampton manager Claude Puel
The Hampshire-based club are used to having their talent taken away by ‘big clubs’ but they continue to replace it and continue to achieve.
This time, it’s Charlie Austin who has replaced the stolen goals and it’s something he’s become accustom to throughout the course of his career – Austin has averaged a goal every two games (or more) for each of his last four clubs.
Many tipped Southampton to struggle this season having lost two key elements of their club over the summer but if they can keep the prolific Charlie Austin firing, they’ll be in contention to secure another high finish this term.
Southampton’s Charlie Austin celebrates scoring their first goal
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