- The thoughts of BBC Radio Solent’s Adam Blackmore ahead of Saturday’s fixture
- Southampton host Leicester City in the Premier League at St. Mary’s Stadium
- The Saints are yet to register a top-flight win this term but have shown improvement
- Russell Martin’s side were beaten 3-1 by Arsenal ahead of the international break
The Saints may sit second from bottom in the Premier League standings at this early stage, with one point to their name, but recent performances have provided a slice of optimism around St. Mary’s Stadium heading into this weekend’s clash with Leicester City.
The enormity of the encounter with the Foxes is not lost on Blackmore, who explained why there is also an air of the unknown heading into Saturday’s 3pm BST kick-off on the South Coast, as club duties resume following the international window.
“Both managers will try and tell us it’s just another game and that they are all big in the Premier League,” the journalist commented. “I get that because they don’t want the players to think any game is easier or harder.
“But if you look below Manchester United in the table, there are six teams there already and all of those games will be big, that’s undeniable. Bournemouth look like a very good side at the moment, although Leicester beat them.
“And Leicester probably took encouragement from losing at Arsenal the week before - scoring two goals, one of them an absolute worldie, and then going on to beat Bournemouth. But I don’t know if the two-week gap will have ruined the momentum and flow that either side could have had going into this game.
“And as a manager, you don’t quite know what you’re going to get after a break because you’ve only had the players for a couple of days before the game. You’ll have all sorts of things going on. These first games back are always a bit of a lottery so I’m not sure what we’ll get.”
A 3-1 reverse at Emirates Stadium last time out was, on the surface, just another defeat for Russell Martin’s side. However, performance-wise, the display was much-improved from a loss by the same scoreline to Bournemouth a week prior, having broken the deadlock in north London early in the second half courtesy of Cameron Archer’s goal, before the Gunners quickly assumed control on their own patch.
“You can’t be 0-0 with Arsenal at half-time and think there’s not been some progress,” Blackmore admitted. “They’ve got better and were excellent at Arsenal. Then they took the lead but only kept it for four minutes. They hit the woodwork twice when Arsenal were 2-1 up as well.
“But individual mistakes with players on the ball giving it away in their own half cost you. It’s going to take time for them to get better and perhaps work out when and where to take the risks with the style of football they play. I don’t think the manager is naive enough to think we don’t have to alter it slightly, but their principals of play are there.
“There were signs of hope for the season and the best signs they’ve had since the opening game when they dominated Newcastle for 30 minutes at St. James’ Park before, oddly, Newcastle getting a man sent off made it a harder game for them.
“They are under pressure and might not be good enough to stay up, but I think they are going to get better as the season goes on.”
Goals have been difficult to come by for the Saints, scoring fewer than any other side in the division at this stage (four), though Blackmore believes they do possess a couple of attacking threats which could offer Leicester problems on Saturday.
“He (Ben Brereton Díaz) hasn’t started any of the last three since Manchester United,” he explained. “He’s been unlucky and done some good things off the left, but ultimately, you’ve got to have end product in the final third and he’s lacked a bit of confidence. I’d be surprised if he starts on Saturday.
“He’s an interesting character. He’s only 25 but feels like he’s been around for a long time. He scored six goals for Sheffield United in the second half of last season, so we know he’s got ability, we’ve just got to unlock it.
“I think Cameron Archer might end up playing a role off the left-hand side, rather than through the middle, but with Ross Stewart getting injured against Arsenal, we don’t know what the front three is going to be.”