90min
·10 August 2022
90min
·10 August 2022
Southampton host Leeds United in their first home game of the new Premier League season on Saturday afternoon.
The Saints resumed their habit for squandering leads during their opening day defeat to Tottenham last weekend. Since the summer of 2020, Southampton have dropped 55 points from winning positions - 15 more than any other side in that time.
Leeds were on the positive end of an overhauled deficit against Wolves last Saturday, recovering from Daniel Podence's early opener to win 2-1.
Here's everything you need to know about the meeting between two sides who may value a first goal differently.
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Southampton: 1 WinLeeds: 3 WinsDraws: 1 Draw
Southampton: DDWLLLeeds: WLDWW
The long-term absence of Tino Livramento - who is unlikely to feature before the winter World Cup - has limited Ralph Hasenhuttl's options at full-back and wing-back. Nathan Tella has been shoehorned into the latter role in the past but is a doubt after only recently returning to training.
Given how exposed the natural forward Moussa Djenepo was when fielded on the flank against Tottenham last weekend, Hasenhuttl may opt for the more defensively minded Romain Perraud.
Theo Walcott missed the entirety of preseason with a fitness concern which is yet to resolve itself.
Southampton Starting 11: Bazunu; Stephens, Bednarek, Salisu; Walker-Peters, Ward-Prowse, Lavia, Romeu, Perraud; Aribo, Adams.Bench: McCarthy, Bella-Kotchap, Valery, Diallo, S Armstrong, A Armstrong, Redmond.
Both Luke Ayling and Junior Firpo are 'ahead of schedule' in their recoveries from knee injuries according to Jesse Marsch. Although either is likely to feature until late August at the earliest. Adam Forshaw (knee) and Luis Sinisterra (thigh) are nearing returns to training.
Captain Liam Cooper had his preseason derailed by a freak Achilles issue and his involvement this weekend remains in doubt. There is little uncertainty, however, in the lengthy wait ahead of Stuart Dallas as he recovers from a femoral fracture.
Leeds Starting 11: Meslier; Kristensen, Koch, Llorente, Struijk; Roca, Adams; Aaronson, Rodrigo, Harrison; Bamford.Bench: Christy, Klich, Gray, Greenwood, Drameh, Summerville, Gelhardt.
The long arm of influence wielded by Red Bull's footballing branch will be heavily present on the south coast this weekend as two of its graduates - and former colleagues at RB Leipzig - pit their wits against one another.
Marsch was briefly part of Hasenhuttl's staff in Germany half a decade ago and admits that the Saints boss 'believes in a lot of the same principles and philosophies that I believe in'.
However, Leeds have a squad more suited to that front-foot, fizzy-drink football and may well extend Southampton's ruinous run of one Premier League win since March.