Southampton

Southampton have won just four matches this season, three of which have come in the Carabao Cup.

Russell Martin's side host Liverpool in the quarter-finals of the cup on Wednesday in a tie that will pitch the Premier League's basement club against the leaders.

Even victory in Sunday's league clash at home to Tottenham would not be enough to haul the Saints off the bottom of the table.

They have five points from 15 games, with their only positive results a win at home to Everton and draws against Brighton and Ipswich.

Saints are currently four points behind second-bottom Wolves and eight points from safety after picking up just one point from a possible 15 in their last five games.

Wolves

More from Wolves chairman Jeff Shi in his column for the Express and Star: "While emotions make football special, success in the game is largely a science.

"Emotional reactions may come first, but lasting success requires calculated, scientific solutions. Finding the right formula isn’t always easy, and it often takes time. But once it’s discovered, results will follow.

"It's human nature to fear losing something valuable, but I believe there’s a more positive way to view it. What we have now isn’t something we take for granted; instead, we treasure it and work tirelessly to protect it and nurture it.

"I believe in the power of positivity because negativity achieves nothing. Just as atoms remain atoms, how we perceive, combine, and connect them defines their collective value, and positive energy grants the group of atoms life and vitality."

Wolves

In his column for the Express and Star, Wolves chairman Jeff Shi wrote: "I don't need to familiarise supporters with what happened next in the summer of 2023, they all know it. But because of that, the destiny of Gary O'Neil and Wolves met at an unexpected moment, and I remain grateful to Gary for stepping into such a demanding situation just days before the beginning of a new season, and for his commitment to the club every day since then.

"While he knows that improving our results quickly is essential for everyone associated with the football club, we are united in supporting him as all of us strive to make that progress happen.

"Even in what I believe to be Wolves' best decade in half a century, tough moments are inevitable. Success isn’t about avoiding challenges; it’s about how we respond to them.

"Patience, resilience, and well-thought-out solutions have always been the foundation of Wolves' progress."

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Wolves

Wolves manager Gary O'Neil has just publicly received the backing of chairman Jeff Shi.

Stick with us as we bring you more shortly...

Leicester City

Leicester manager Ruud van Nistelrooy on team news: "He [Wilfred Ndidi] has a hamstring injury so he is not available for Saturday's game. We are looking at how he will react to the injury but it looks like he will be a couple of weeks.

"It's doubtful [Harry Winks will be available] because he has done parts of team training. Tomorrow we will assess whether he is available for Saturday but it is something that is very difficult because he only has one part. Today was his first day of partial team training."

Fulham

Fulham boss Marco Silva on team news: "Joachim [Andersen] and Harrison Reed, plus Reiss Nelson, are out. Joa is the closest one to coming back but 100% not this week.

"Reiss Nelson is going to be longer. It's difficult to say when he's going to be back. Probably around 10 weeks he's going to be out for sure."

Image source, Getty Images

Southampton

Poland centre-back Jan Bednarek and Nigeria forward Paul Onuachu are both available for Southampton's Premier League match at home to Tottenham on Sunday.

Manager Russell Martin also said that goalkeeper Alex McCarthy was back fit, while Aaron Ramsdale was "very close".

"He may be back for the Liverpool game [in the Carabao Cup quarter-finals on Wednesday], but if not the then Fulham game after that," he added.

Ipswich Town

Ipswich boss Kieran McKenna on team news: "Kalvin Phillips and Ben Johnson are still managing their knocks.

"Obvious long-term injuries. We have one or two illnesses in the camp."

Southampton

Southampton manager Russell Martin on how to help restore his players' confidence in the face of criticism: "The biggest job is to eliminate the external noise - it is so difficult. Maybe at times we are the only voices telling them that they are good enough.

"Even family members will question them. I have been there as a player. Agents, supporters obviously, media pundits - everyone questions if you are good enough or not good enough.

"It is about being able to switch that off and zoom in and focus on what is really important.

"We are trying to do as well as we can with our lads."

Strong words there from Russell Martin on Southampton and Tottenham's style of play.

Which camp are you in? Should managers be applauded for being 'brave' and 'different' or should they be more pragmatic and compromise?

And, ultimately, is their approach able to bring in success in the long-term?

Let us know!

Southampton

More from Russell Martin on how he hopes to turn around Southampton's fortunes: "We are not far away and we have to just keep working, keep concentrating on the process and ourselves and just keep trying to be better."

Southampton

Southampton manager Russell Martin on his side's haul of just five points from 15 Premier League games: "We shouldn't be on the points that we are. It is incredibly hurtful and embarrassing to be on five points - we should have more.

"But there have been a few too many mistakes and a few too many moments that we haven't managed well.

"We have had disappointments in games and setbacks, but we have to keep trying to grow - grow as a group, grow individually and prepare the players for those moments when it is tough, and find ways for them to cope emotionally.

"But they are growing, they are getting better and they are so competitive."

Fulham

Fulham boss Marco Silva on what he puts his side's positive early season form down to: "I don't see success in football without hard work, that is the reason why we have done so well the last few seasons.

"Everyone works so hard and the demands from ourselves in the football club are so high. If the standards and demands are high then you are more able to respond in this league that is so tough. I know it is only the beginning of December but up until now it has been really good to see how the team has responded."

Southampton

More from Southampton manager Russell Martin on Tottenham boss Ange Postecoglou: "People only criticise the ones who are a little bit different from the norm. So if we all believe the same thing that would be pretty boring, but we would be less open to criticism."

He added: "I watched a lot of his [Postecoglou's] Celtic team, they were brilliant. They got so much praise for being so brave and aggressive. He did a great job, won lots of trophies and played in the Champions League.

"He goes to Spurs and starts so well, so when the results are good no-one questions the style or his convictions or belief system. Then the minute it starts faltering, it is always down to that."

Image source, Getty Images

Southampton

But first, Martin has defended his side's style of play; something that has been criticised this season, along with Tottenham and Ange Postecoglou's approach. The two sides meet on Sunday.

Martin says he has a lot of respect for Postecoglou's brave aggressive tactics and his refusal to compromise in the face of criticism.

He added: "I get criticised for the same thing, about being stubborn and all that stuff, but if you believe in something and it's taken you a certain way in life then to deviate too far from that is crazy.

"I can't speak for him but we are also adapting. We adapt shape, approach, personnel but with the same consistency about what is important for us, with the same concept of the game. We can't deviate too far from that otherwise we become nothing, really.

"Everyone is just quick to criticise these days and I have a lot of respect for him."

Southampton

A very animated Russell Martin has been speaking to the media, saying it is "hurtful and embarrassing" that his side only have five points, and sit bottom of the Premier League.

Full quotes to follow from the Southampton boss.

Ipswich Town

Ipswich boss Kieran McKenna on goalkeeper Arijanet Muric after their loss to Bournemouth last week: "We support all of our players, we know mistakes can be made over the course of the season. We think he's an extremely talented goalkeeper. He is also very young for a goalkeeper and settling into a new club. There’s areas in his game that he is working hard on. He was disappointed with Bournemouth's first goal. He's a good professional. He is training well, he is adapting to the demands we put on him and he's really keen to help the team."

Image source, Getty Images