Southampton vs Wolves: A Season-Defining Fixture For Both Sides… | OneFootball

Southampton are set to host fellow relegation-contenders Wolves, one of ten attempts left to beat the daunting Derby record.

As the Saints sit on nine points, viable chances of picking up a victory grow increasingly unlikely whilst seeking a second league win under Croatian manager Ivan Jurić.

Wolves are not without their misfortunes, however. Having not won in four of their previous five, they’ll aim to restore their form on the South Coast—a common theme among many of Southampton’s opponents this season.

Previous Encounter

At Molineux, the hosts quickly capitalised on an early chance, with midfielder Pablo Sarabia opening the scoring. The Saints soon fired back as unlikely scorer Ryan Manning thought he leveled the match.

VAR controversy arose; midfielder Mateus Fernandes was thought to have caused a foul on Semedo in the build-up, a decision that was justifiably questioned due to the coming together of both players.

Southampton fans were left furious again later in the match when Wolves managed to double their lead through Matheus Cunha. The Brazilian’s stunning strike gave O’Neil’s men some breathing space, but the officials seemed to miss a clear foul in the build-up on this occasion.

Team News

Defender Jan Bednarek was forced off in the defeat vs Liverpool for the Saints following a clash of heads, Jurić revealed:

Jurić also stated that Southampton are without midfielder Will Smallbone, who, after scoring at Anfield last week and receiving an Ireland International call-up, has a renewed groin injury.

Wolves manager Vitor Pereira expressed there are no other injury concerns, explaining that midfielder Marshall Munetsi is “Ok” and “ready to help” in today’s clash.

Leading goalscorer Matheus Cunha is still unavailable as he’s seeing out his second of three suspension-hit matches, following “violent conduct” against fellow South Coast club Bournemouth.

Predicted Lineups

Southampton: Ramsdale; Walker-Peters, Harwood-Bellis, Bella-Kotchap, Manning; Ugochukwu, Aribo, Fernandes; Dibling, Sulemana, Onuachu

Wolves: Sa; Doherty, Toti, Agbadou; Semedo, Andre, Gomes, Ait-Nouri; Munetsi, Bellegarde; Larsen

Players To Watch

His performances for the Saints haven’t been unnoticed this season, evidenced by his England call-up. Despite conceding 68 goals in the league, Aaron Ramsdale has been central to Southampton gaining any points thus far, overperforming his faced xG in four of Southampton’s five unbeaten games.

Having scored last week against Everton, Marshall Munetsi will likely be utilised once again as part of Vitor Pereira’s front three, selected over Hwang Hee-chan, Gonçalo Guedes, and Pablo Sarabia. The 28-year-old was also the first Zimbabwean to score in the Premier League since Benjani, 14 years ago!

What To Expect

A critical clash in the Premier League relegation battle, with Wolves facing a considerable hurdle with Matheus Cunha’s suspension. The talismanic forward has 13 league goals this season, leaving a clear void in their attack. Manager Vitor Pereira will likely lean on players like Jørgen Strand Larsen and Marshall Munetsi to fill the scoring duties. Wolves have won their last four visits to Southampton, but without Cunha’s flair and goal threat, they may find it difficult to break down a Saints side desperate for points, especially at home.

Southampton, rooted to the bottom of the table, showed a glimmer of hope in their recent 3-1 loss to Liverpool when they deployed a 4-back formation, particularly in the first half. This tactical tweak from Ivan Jurić allowed them to take an early lead through Will Smallbone, hinting at a more resilient defensive structure compared to their usual aggressive, yet vulnerable, 3 at-the-back. While their attack remains blunt—scoring just twice in their last four home games—the Saints will, ultimately, hope to catch Wolves on an off day.