Match details – Kick off 3pm, Saturday 20th September, MKM Stadium Hull
Southampton will be desperate to get back on track this weekend as they welcome Hull City to St Mary’s, with the hope of notching their first victory since the opening day of the season.
The Saints have endured a frustrating run of results since their win over Hull on the league’s curtain-raiser, but manager Will Still believes his side are ready to turn the page. Facing a Hull City team already facing whispers of relegation, Southampton will sense a chance to reignite their stuttering campaign.
Speaking ahead of the match, Still was frank about the need for a sharper performance than the one his team delivered in last Sunday’s draw with Portsmouth. “We need to be better than we were in the first half,” he admitted. “Our levels of commitment need to be higher. We want people that are brave and want to get on the ball to do well for the team. We were too passive.”
The Saints will need to keep a close eye on Hull’s attacking duo of Oli McBurnie – a familiar face in the Championship – and Leeds United loanee Joe Gelhardt. But defensively, the Tigers have looked vulnerable, conceding 11 times in their first five matches – the fourth-worst record in the league. That could offer encouragement for a Southampton attack that, while only 12th in the division for goals scored, ranks second in expected goals.
Still suggested a tactical tweak may be in the offing to get the best from his forwards. “I know we can’t smash it long to Cameron Archer, that’s not what he’s good at. We need to find ways to play into the channels behind him.”
Possession has been a rare bright spot for Southampton. They currently top the league charts with an average of 59% possession per match – a dominance that Still will want to convert into goals and points.
The manager also took a swipe at the state of the squad he inherited. “Rome wasn’t built in a day, and it also wasn’t built on a load of rubble, which is what we were reduced to here last season,” Still remarked, hinting at the scale of the rebuild that’s still underway at St Mary’s.
For Hull City, Dean Holden took media duties and hinted at a possible boost. “Liam Millar’s been back with the group,” Holden revealed. “We just have to make a decision. Liam coming back in will be a great boost for everybody.”
Hull will be without Eliot Matazo, Matt Crooks and Semi Ajayi due to injury, while Southampton are missing Samuel Edozie and Welington.
With both sides in need of a lift, the upcoming clash looks set to be an early test of nerve and resilience.
