Southampton will be looking to make it four wins on the bounce in the league when they travel to Huddersfield Town at the weekend, Russell Martin’s Saints beginning to make up ground on the top two with positive recent results.
Despite wins becoming commonplace and a feel-good factor palpable at St Mary’s under Martin now, the former Swansea City manager could still potentially tinker with the line-up he fields against the Terriers.
Here’s Martin’s predicted XI, with two changes potentially on the cards from the team who won against West Brom last match.
1
GK – Gavin Bazunu
The former Manchester City shot-stopper has looked wobbly in goal for Southampton at points this season, but Martin has stood by his young goalkeeper and he should start away at the John Smith’s Stadium on Saturday.
Only keeping two clean sheets so far this season in a leaky Saints side, Bazunu will hope he can pick up a much-needed third for his personal confidence versus the Terriers.
2
RB – Kyle Walker-Peters
The two-time England senior international hasn’t thrown a tantrum at having to drop down and play Championship football for his side after relegation, taking it in his stride instead with impressive displays at right-back.
Averaging 2.1 successful dribbles per 90 minutes according to Sofascore, he also offers the Saints another attacking outlet when his team are searching for a decisive goal.
3
CB – Mason Holgate
On loan at Southampton far away from home comforts at Everton, Holgate’s performance versus West Brom when he was selected should see him retain a starting spot in Martin’s team for the trip to Huddersfield.
Winning six of his seven ground and aerial duels versus the Baggies as per Sofascore, the 27-year-old will hope he can replicate his Baggies performance against the Terriers.
4
CB – Taylor Harwood-Bellis
After a formative loan switch to Burnley last season in the Championship – Harwood-Bellis playing 35 times for Vincent Kompany’s eventual champions – Southampton decided to sign the 21-year-old with fingers crossed at St Mary’s that he could perform to this standard again.
The Manchester City youth product is showing signs of his pedigree in a Saints strip, even helping himself to a goal this season from the back.
5
LB – Ryan Manning
Martin could play Ryan Manning from the start over James Brees in the first potential change to his eleven, Manning clearing the ball away two times from danger when introduced late on versus West Brom as per Sofascore.
This dogged display from off the bench helped the Saints hold onto a narrow 2-1 win, their third win on the trot.
6
RM – Stuart Armstrong
Usually operating as a central midfielder for the Saints, Martin started Stuart Armstrong at right wing against West Brom and he could start there again at the weekend.
It was an unorthodox decision that worked, the ex-Dundee United man constantly wanting to create from the channels with two accurate crosses into the opposition area as per Sofascore nearly unlocking the West Brom defence again on the day.
7
CM – Will Smallbone
Southampton’s number 16 opened the scoring for his team against West Brom last match, his fifth-minute strike giving the Saints a platform to go on and win as a result.
Smallbone has stepped up to the mark for his team this season after a loan away from St Mary’s to Stoke City last campaign, crucial now under Martin in the Championship.
8
CM – Flynn Downes
Downes was reunited with his former Swansea manager Martin when joining Southampton on loan this summer, the ex-Swans man not really bedding himself into the West Ham United first team effectively since leaving Wales for London in a move that might have come too soon for the midfielder.
The 24-year-old only has one assist next to his name since making the loan switch, but he’ll only improve if selected on a regular basis by Martin.
9
LM – Carlos Alcaraz
Much like Walker-Peters, Southampton must have been relieved that another key figure in Carlos Alcaraz didn’t cause a scene and vocally ask for an exit in the wake of the club’s relegation.
The South American star for the Saints only has a solitary goal for his efforts this season in the league, but won’t be dropped for the game at Huddersfield with the opposition having defensive frailties Alcaraz could very much exploit.
10
ST – Adam Armstrong
Adam Armstrong will also want to be ruthless in attack for Martin’s men at the John Smith’s Stadium this weekend, the ex Newcastle United already scoring nine times this season for his Championship employers.
He’ll want this weekend’s clash to be the game where he enters double figures for the campaign, Armstrong a feared striker at this level for a reason.
11
ST – Ross Stewart
Ross Stewart is also another striker second-tier defenders have regular nightmares about, the ex-Sunderland striker scoring 40 times for the Black Cats before moving on to the Saints.
Former Sunderland teammate Alex Pritchard even hailed Stewart as a “revelation” when Stewart’s goals helped the team clinch promotion back to the second tier at the end of the 2021-22 campaign.
The Scottish attacker will want to get his Saints career up and running after battling with injury, Kamaldeen Sulemana potentially axed to make way for Stewart this Saturday.
Predicted Southampton XI vs Huddersfield: GK – Bazunu; RB – Walker-Peters, CB – Holgate, CB – Harwood-Bellis, LB – Manning; RM – S Armstrong, CM – Smallbone, CM – Downes, LM – Alcaraz; ST – A Armstrong, ST – Stewart.
