Southampton currently lie tenth in the Premier League.
Southampton under Claude Puel have had a mixed bag of results, meaning that they currently sit squarely in the middle of the Premier League table in tenth position. Indeed, they have been unable to generate any sort of momentum yet, however, their next run of fixtures may be a chance to do just that.
Liverpool (h)
The complex relationship between Liverpool and Southampton will reignite once again when the Reds visit St. Mary’s next Saturday and one player in particular could make the difference. Sadio Mane, who left the Saints for Anfield in the summer, knows the Southampton defenders inside out, which is bad news for the hosts.
The Reds have been running riot in attack thus far this season and will go into the game on the south coast with confidence high following a big win against Watford which sent them top of the league for the first time since 2014. For this reason, there appears to be little hope for Puel’s men in this one.
Prediction: Southampton 1-3 Liverpool
Sadio Mane celebrates after scoring for Southampton
Everton (h)
Another St. Mary’s return against Liverpool’s Merseyside rivals will come in the form of ex-Saints boss Ronald Koeman. He has, however, hit a troubling patch in his Everton tenure and that could come home to roost as he faces his old employers.
The Toffees had started well but have won just one of their last five league games, seeing them slip into seventh place. Moreover, they will still be licking their wounds from a 5-0 defeat at the hands of Chelsea, meaning the Saints could capitalise.
Prediction: Southampton 2-1 Everton
Everton manager Ronald Koeman
Crystal Palace (a)
Another former Southampton manager, Alan Pardew, welcomes the Saints in the Premier League, this time to Selhurst Park. However, Pardew has also had a difficult time of late after a drop-off in his own team’s form. If Nathan Redmond and Charlie Austin are still hitting the heights they are now, Palace will be in big trouble.
Winless in five, Pardew will be hoping that Christian Benteke can cause some problems for Southampton’s super centre-half pairing. However, it will be their own defence which will cause the former Saints manager headaches, having conceded 10 goals in their previous three games.
Prediction: Crystal Palace 1-3 Southampton
Crystal Palace manager Alan Pardew
Middlesbrough (h)
Boro’s defensive resolve may see them through a good spell of form going into this fixture – they are already unbeaten in three and only Chelsea at home will have them significantly worried in their games until this one. However, if Dusan Tadic is still in superb form, he should be able to unlock their canny defence.
Aitor Karanka appears to have found combinations that work for his Boro side as they’ve climbed the table into 15th place and, should they negotiate their relatively straightforward spell of fixtures, the Teessiders will cause problems for their hosts. However, the Saints should still have just enough.
Prediction: Southampton 1-0 Middlesbrough
Stoke City (a)
Playing Stoke City at the Bet365 Stadium always presents a difficult task and that’s exactly what will meet Southampton on a (presumably) cold, wet Wednesday night in December. Stoke have been climbing the table, however their physicality may come a cropper against defenders such as Virgil van Dijk and Jose Fonte.
While in previous years Stoke’s impressive physical stature would worry sides visiting what was then the Britannia Stadium, Van Dijk and Fonte have kept out more fearsome strikers than Wilfried Bony this season. As such, it’s unlikely there’ll be too much to worry them. However, the Potters are no slouches themselves and Austin and Redmond will have a tough time breaking through.
Prediction: Stoke City 0-0 Southampton
Southampton’s Virgil van Dijk celebrates scoring their first goal
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