Southampton Match Preview

West Ham United have dropped to seventeenth in the Premier League table after the late 2-1 defeat to leaders Liverpool at Anfield last weekend but their ever loyal fan base will be expecting three points this afternoon, as already relegated Southampton are the visitors to Stratford.

The Hammers may have missed out on doing the double over both Newcastle United and Wolverhampton Wanderers recently but have a golden chance to achieve the feat here, as the Saints have only won two games in the entire season to date.

Julen Lopetegui was still at the helm in the East End when the reverse fixture was played on Boxing Day and although the home side were under new management after Ivan Jurić had taken over from Russell Martin, they were unable to feel the effects of the “new manager bounce” as the Irons triumphed for only the third time on the road this campaign.

This time around however, it is all change in the dugouts, as Graham Potter replaced Lopetegui just ten days after the 1-0 victory at St Mary’s, while Simon Rusk has taken temporary charge for the rest of the season after the hierarchy on the South Coast dispensed with the services of Jurić once their return to the Sky Bet Championship was confirmed, following the 3-1 defeat at The Tottenham Hotspur Stadium back on April 6.

Thankfully for the home fans, one of Potter’s three victories in charge of his current side came against another newly-promoted club in the shape of Leicester City back on February 27. The home side haven’t won since that victory against the Foxes and will welcome getting back to winning ways here.

The visitors have not moved off the bottom of the table since September and have only recently made it into double figures by way of points. They would have had more, had it not been for a late equaliser in the home match with Crystal Palace earlier this month. To avoid being the worst team in top-flight history, they need just two more points and if they are to get them, the East Londoners will just hope that it’s not them who hand their opponents the chance to beat that unwanted record.

James Ward-Prowse is set to retain his place in the home side’s midfield and feature against his former club for the first time since leaving St Mary’s in the summer of 2023.

Potter switched to a back three for last weekend’s trip to Merseyside and left both Tomáš Souček and Edson Álvarez out of the starting line-up. A week on and the Head-Coach may revert to a back five and go with Souček and Álvarez once again. Having said that though, Carlos Soler will be looking to retain his place.

The former Swansea City and Chelsea boss stated in his pre-match news conference ahead of this game on Thursday that although Aaron Wan-Bissaka has had to have an injection in his toe this week, he should be ready to play against the Saints. If he doesn’t make the matchday squad however, then either Vladimír Coufal, or Emerson Palmieri could take his place.

Ward-Prowse isn’t the only player set to face his former club this weekend, as Flynn Downes will make his first return to East London after he is back in contention, following a suspension.

The match is a 3pm kick-off and the referee is Andrew Kitchen.