Southampton vs Bristol City - prediction, team news, lineups

Looking to proceed their singular complaint towards promotion, Southampton host Roy Hodgson’s Bristol City successful a Tuesday nighttime Championship clash.

The Saints near it precocious to widen their winning tally to 7 matches with a 2-1 triumph implicit Swansea City successful South Wales, portion the Robins suffered their archetypal decision successful 3 games aft being dismantled 4-2 by Norwich City, with Mohamed Toure netting a hat-trick.

Match preview

When Tonda Eckert took the reins astatine St Mary’s, Southampton were languishing successful 21st spot with conscionable 2 wins from their opening 13 matches, but with 3 games remaining they present beryllium fourth, conscionable 1 constituent adrift of the automatic promotion places.

The Saints person been transformed nether the German coach, who has overseen an outstanding tally of 23 wins, six draws and 5 defeats from his 34 matches successful charge.

Their existent streak is arguably their astir awesome yet, arsenic contempt needing a 90th-minute victor from Cameron Archer to flooded Swansea past clip out, it marked a seventh successive triumph and extended their unbeaten tally to 16 matches.

Momentum is often important astatine this signifier of the season, and nary broadside successful the part is successful amended signifier than Southampton, who could yet overtake Ipswich Town and Millwall to unafraid automatic promotion if they support their existent form.

Even if they autumn abbreviated of the apical two, the Saints volition caput into the playoffs arsenic wide contenders, and they could bash truthful with further assurance gained from their FA Cup run, having reached the semi-finals pursuing a memorable triumph implicit Arsenal, wherever they are acceptable to look Manchester City aboriginal this month. 

As for the visiting broadside Bristol City, they participate their last 3 Championship games of the play with conscionable the hopes of a top-half decorativeness near to play for. 

The Robins finished successful the division's apical six astatine the extremity of the 2024-25 run but person been incapable to travel it up with thing akin with their 2nd fractional of the play performances successful peculiar letting them down. 

Although they started 2026 poorly, with conscionable 1 location triumph crossed the archetypal 3 and a fractional months of the year, the determination to relieve Gerhard Struber of his duties astatine the extremity of March came arsenic a surprise. 

Hodgson was appointed arsenic his successor connected a short-term basis, tasked with overseeing the last agelong of the season, and helium initially made a affirmative interaction with victories implicit Charlton Athletic and Sheffield United, followed by a gully astatine Queens Park Rangers.

However, that unbeaten commencement came to an extremity astatine the weekend, arsenic a objective Norwich display, highlighted by Toure’s quickfire hat-trick and a Jose Cordoba strike, condemned them to a 4-2 defeat, leaving Bristol City 10th successful the table.

The Robins volition beryllium hoping for much of the aforesaid from their past clash with Southampton aft winning 3-1 astatine location backmost successful October, though some sides are nether caller absorption and the Saints are a much-improved outfit. 

Southampton Championship form:

W W W W W W 

Bristol City Championship form:

D L W W D L

Team News

With nary further injuries and enjoying specified a bully tally of form, Eckert whitethorn beryllium hoping to support things the aforesaid for Tuesday's clash. 

However, some Shea Charles and Archer made an interaction disconnected the seat past clip retired by uncovering the net, and each could present beryllium pushing for a spot successful the starting XI.

Only Mads Roerslev, retired of their full squad, is expected to miss retired done injury. 

As for the distant side, the Robins question southbound with an wounded database that has hindered their full season. 

Long-term absentees Rob Dickie, Rob Atkinson, George Tanner and Luke McNally person near their defence stretched, with skipper Jason Knight having filled successful astatine right-back from his accustomed midfield relation successful caller weeks.

Max Bird remains a uncertainty aft being forced disconnected aboriginal 2 games ago, portion Sam Bell could beryllium rewarded with a commencement aft scoring from the seat successful their past outing.

Southampton imaginable starting lineup:

Peretz; Bree, Harwood-Bellis, Wood, Manning; Downes, Jander; Archer, Azaz, L. Scienza; Stewart

Bristol City imaginable starting lineup:

Vitek; McCrorie, Eile, N. Borges, Pring; Randell, S. Morsy; Bell, Twine, Knight; Riis

We say: Southampton 3-1 Bristol City

The Saints person been marching connected towards the apical 2 for immoderate clip and could participate adjacent play successful the automatic places. 

We expect the Saints to widen their unbeaten streak to 17 matches with an eighth consecutive victory, strengthening their propulsion for a top-two decorativeness with a 3-1 success.

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