Southampton vs West Ham United
Date: 14/12/2019
K/O: 17:30
Venue: St. Marys
Referee: Martin Atkinson
TV: Sky Sports
Ralph Hasenhuttl will be looking to secure his third successive home win this weekend against a struggling West Ham; something that the Saints have not managed since May 2016.
After a disappointing defeat at the hands of Newcastle United, the Saints will have a burning desire to come out of the blocks quickly and snatch all three points in front of the home supporters.
Manuel Pellegrini will be determined to pick up his third away win of the season as they travel to St. Marys. Southampton’s two wins at home this year came against the two sides currently sitting below them in the Premier League table, and West Ham could become one of these teams unless they manage at least a point. Only one point separates the two sides, meaning something of a crunch match could be set to take place this weekend on the South Coast.
Pellegrini will come into the game confident as the Hammers have won four out of the last five meetings with Southampton, scoring at least two in each of the victories. West Ham have won more games (16) against Southampton than they have against any other team in the Premier League. Under the circumstances, number 17 could not come soon enough for Pellegrini’s men.
Danny Ings will be the first name on the team sheet this weekend, as last weekend he became only the third player ever to score in five consecutive games for the Saints, placing himself within the legendary company of James Beattie and Matt le Tissier. Keeping Ings fit will be vital for Hasenhuttl’s season as without him, the Saints could very well be further down the table than they already are.
However, Sofiane Boufal will need to be replaced on the bench through a toe injury sustained in his kitchen. Stuart Armstrong remains side-lined through a calf-problem. Despite being unable to come away from St. James’ park with any points, Southampton will be eager to play as their performance certainly warranted reward.
The Saints have not kept a clean sheet in their last 13 home games, an issue that requires resolving if they want to pull away from the relegation battle. Cedric Soares has been a major culprit. Granted, his attacking play has provided an outlet for the Saints, however this leaves the right-hand side of Southampton’s defence open for attacking, which Southampton have proved they cannot deal with.
Allan Saint-Maximin absolutely tortured the Portuguese international and Pellegrini will surely look to exploit where he can. Yan Valery is still unavailable, giving Hasenhuttl no real chance to change Cedric out.
Just to add insult to injury after their 3-1 defeat to Arsenal, both Michail Antonio and Aaron Creswell will be unavailable against the Saints due to knocks picked up. This could lead to starts for Sebastien Haller and Arthur Masuaku.
West Ham seem to relish playing football with their backs against the wall as when they found themselves in a similar position against Chelsea, they pulled off a huge 1-0 win. However, if Pellegrini fails to secure all three points at St. Marys this weekend it could be the end of the road for him as manager of West Ham United as the relegation zone is not a place for a club who have received comparatively large backing in the modern era.
Haller was in the running to become one of the best summer signings but has been quiet in front of goal recently. The injury to Antonio could give him an opportunity to prove that he should be in the starting line-up. The tightness at the bottom of the Premier League is an incentive for teams to go at these games and establish a higher position in the table.
Predicted Starting XIs
Southampton (4-3-3): McCarthy; Cedric, Bednarek, Stephens, Bertrand; Hojbjerg, JWP, Redmond, Djenepo; Ings, Long
West Ham (4-3-2-1): Martin; Fredricks, Ogbonna, Balbuena, Masuaku; Noble, Rice, Snodgrass, Fornals, Anderson; Haller
Prediction: Southampton 3-1 West Ham
Saints’ run of home form will boost their confidence, with Ings likely to get on the scoresheet. Despite having their backs to the wall, a defeat here may see the end of Pellegrini and they can start fresh for the new calendar year.
