Returning to action after the international break, a Southampton team in strong form comes up against a Stoke City side still revelling in the win over Chelsea.
Having now won three in a row and having an unbeaten run stretching back to 21 September, the Saints are looking in very dangerous form and have an almost full squad to choose from.
The home side faces a visit from a team whose attitude will be very familiar to Saints’ fans after seeing their side defeat Chelsea last month. The Potters have been somewhat of a stuttering team in 2015-16 so far and are now coming to the end of a stretch of games against opponents sitting in the bottom half.
This match is important for Ronald Koeman’s men to kick on in their rich vein of form and for Mark Hughes’ squad to assert themselves as able to compete with those in the top half of the table to continue their best ever start to a Premier League campaign.
Key Battle – Graziano Pellè vs Ryan Shawcross
The big Italian frontman will be looking to continue his habit of cycling with his midfield and wide players to open up opposition defences and dominate aerially inside the area to grab himself a goal, if not create an opportunity for a team mate. In this match, however, the Saints man will be put up against a performing Ryan Shawcross.
Shawcross has only been back in the lineup for the Potters in the last two matches after struggling with a back injury. In the two matches since the Stoke captain has returned to the team, they have kept two clean sheets and look significantly stronger at the back. Tall and powerful, the Englishman seems the perfect match for Pellè but will certainly have his work cut out in trying to quell the striker’s influence.
Team News
Koeman has essentially the entirety of his squad fit and ready for selection with none picking up any injuries in international matches over the break. Shane Long returned to action in the Republic of Ireland’s match against Bosnia and Herzegovina to qualify for Euro 2016 after a lay-off with an ankle injury, while Virgil van Dijk will be available despite picking up a knock in the Netherlands’ game against Wales.
Southampton Expected XI (4-2-3-1): Stekelenburg (GK); Bertrand, van Dijk, Fonte (c), Cédric; Wanyama, Clasie; Mané, Davis, Tadić; Pellè.
Stoke will be without Marc Muniesa through a hamstring injury but Erik Pieters will be up for selection despite breaking his nose in two places in the game against Chelsea.
Stoke City Expected XI (4-2-3-1): Butland (GK); Pieters, Shawcross (c), Wollscheid, Johnson; Adam, Whelan; Arnautovic, Bojan, Shaqiri; Walters.
Head-to-Head
The advantage in the head-to-head in this fixture is held by the home side, having won 20 of the 41 meetings between the teams with the Potters grabbing three points 11 times and spoils shared on 10 occasions.
Previous Meeting
The last match between these teams was in April of this year and saw Stoke come out victorious at the Britannia thanks to goals from Mame Biram Diouf and Charlie Adam after Morgan Schneiderlin opened the scoring for the visitors.
Prediction
Southampton have been in impressive form of late and it is hard to see them losing at home. However, the Potters have managed to tighten up at the back under the tutelage of Hughes and scoring against them is no easy task. The home team will likely win or draw this game but it looks to be a low-scoring affair regardless.
Southampton 1 Stoke City 0
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