Southampton vs Stoke City - prediction, team news, lineups

Southampton and Stoke City volition beryllium attempting to flooded opening-day defeats erstwhile they quadrate disconnected successful the Championship astatine St Mary's connected Saturday afternoon.

In games wherever they were pre-match favourites, Southampton mislaid astatine Watford and Stoke succumbed to Swansea City.

Match preview

After the Spygate ungraded that rocked the Championship and the charges that proceed to lurk implicit him, Southampton brag Tonda Eckert would person been hopeless to marque a winning commencement to the caller campaign.

Instead, it was Watford who roseate to the juncture astatine Vicarage Road to gain a deserved 2-1 triumph connected Sunday.

Being outfought by a nine not tipped to situation for promotion was a wake-up telephone for the Saints, who tin expect opponents to beryllium extra-motivated erstwhile they look them during the aboriginal weeks of the season.

Sitting connected -4 points aft breaching EFL regulations past season, Southampton request to make immoderate momentum, arsenic good arsenic accumulate points to support them wrong touching region of the apical seven.

On a affirmative note, Southampton person not suffered decision successful a competitory lucifer astatine St Mary's since losing 2-1 to Hull City connected January 17.

Stoke would person been optimistic implicit a accelerated commencement fixed their level of concern implicit the summertime transportation window.

Instead, the Potters fto gaffe an aboriginal pb to suffer astatine location to Swansea, a effect that leaves Mark Robins and his squad connected the backmost foot.

The big-money accomplishment of George Hirst, a promotion victor with Ipswich Town, should supply the radical with a lift, but the guardant - who volition outgo £10m - has lone netted a humble 18 goals crossed his past 2 Championship campaigns.

With Hull City successful the EFL Cup and a travel to Wolves to travel this contest, Robins volition admit that his players request to measurement up a level for 3 games successful which they are underdogs.

That said, Stoke person prevailed connected their past 2 visits to St Mary's successful the Championship, including their astir caller travel to the crushed astir a twelvemonth agone to the day.

Southampton Championship form:

Southampton signifier (all competitions):

Stoke City Championship form:

Stoke City signifier (all competitions):

Team News

Eckert is expected to tinker with his Southampton XI, with Finn Azaz among those who volition expect an accidental successful the last third.

At slightest 1 of Kuryu Matsuki and caller signing Lewis Dobbin are astir apt to driblet retired to accommodate the playmaker.

As it stands, Caspar Jandar is the lone wounded uncertainty for the Saints.

Even if Ben Johnson and Hirst get from Ipswich Town successful clip for this contest, they are apt to beryllium selected connected the substitutes' bench.

Maksym Talovierov is successful enactment to deputise for Bosun Lawal if helium is sidelined with the wounded that helium sustained past weekend.

Aaron Cresswell and Lamine Cisse person already been ruled retired for this game.

Southampton imaginable starting lineup:

Peretz; Bree, Harwood-Bellis, Stephens, Manning; Bragg, Downes; Matsuki, Azaz, Scienza; Larin

Stoke City imaginable starting lineup:

Johansson; Wilmot, Talovierov, Graham, Bocat; Galbraith, Ingelsson; Manhoef, Rigo, Thomas; Gallagher

We say: Southampton 2-1 Stoke City

With Southampton yet to click into cogwheel this season, Stoke volition backmost themselves to gain a effect connected the South coast. However, we consciousness that the Saints volition find a mode to kick-start their play and determination person to getting backmost into a affirmative points tally.

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