Southampton

Emma Smith
BBC Sport journalist

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This continues to be a season of struggle for Southampton, but they showed enough gumption here to avoid losing 10 consecutive top-flight away games for the first time since 1974.

Russell Martin made four changes to the side which led then lost to Liverpool, including a Premier League debut for 29-year-old goalkeeper Joe Lumley in place of Alex McCarthy, dropped after an unconvincing performance against the Reds.

Old issues remained - Lumley had to make a close-range save after just six minutes when his defence gave the ball away in their own box, while he was nearly caught out of position when Mitoma caught Sugawara unawares, only to shoot wide.

Lumley, playing his first league game since April 2023 for Reading in the third tier, badly mishit a clearance early in the second half and was lucky to escape unpunished.

But they improved after the break and were ultimately good value for a point - although given the controversial intervention of VAR, they may feel robbed of all three.

On the other hand, scorer Flynn Downes was perhaps lucky to still be on the pitch after committing several fouls for only a booking.

Were you at the game or following from elsewhere?

Brighton fans, let us know your thoughts, external

What did you make of Southampton’s display?, external

Come back to this page on Saturday to find a selection of your replies

For teams down at the bottom, some have that player who can save them and others are missing that talisman.

Wolves have got Matheus Cunha. If they can really get him firing, we saw last season how important he was to the team. The goal at Fulham at the weekend was one that affected that result. If Gary O'Neil can get him back to his best, he could be their potential saviour this season.

On the other hand, I do not think Southampton have that player. They relied heavily on Adam Armstrong in the Championship for goals, but I do not think he brings the same qualities we saw last season when he was able to get a consistent run of goals. Yes, Southampton are a great possession-based team but they do not have that player that will get 20 goals.

With Ipswich, they have got Liam Delap with all his attributes and they also have Omari Hutchinson too who can contribute towards the goalscoring the team needs.

When I look at Everton, I do not see them having that talisman, that player that is going to get you the goals, but as a team they have a knowhow in the Premier League. That is so important when you are fighting at the bottom. That is what Everton collectively as a team and boss Sean Dyche know how to do.

Crystal Palace have got Jean-Phillippe Mateta, they have got Eddie Nketiah, there is Ebere Eze too if they can keep him fit, so I am not worried for them. They have got a lot of injuries which has not helped and they lost two key players in the summer, but I think they have enough. If they can get players back fit, they can go on a run again like we saw at the end of last season.

And then there is Leicester. They have only really got Jamie Vardy who is ageing but does know how to score goals in the Premier League. They are struggling and I feel out of the teams battling relegation, it is Leicester and Southampton who have not got a talisman that can save them.

Fara Williams was speaking to BBC Sport's Nicola Pearson

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Earlier, we asked you who scored Southampton's first Premier League goal of the 2024-25 season.

The answer is Yukinari Sugawara, who netted in the 3-1 defeat at Brentford on 31 August.

Chris Sutton is making predictions for all 380 Premier League games this season, against a variety of guests.

For week 13, he takes on boxer Sunny Edwards who is a Chelsea fan.

Sutton's prediction: 2-0

Southampton actually gave Liverpool a decent game on Sunday, but that defeat means they have lost 10 of their first 12 games.

I don't mind seeing Saints boss Russell Martin stick with his gameplan, and it is hard for the promoted teams anyway, but we have seen another of the sides who came up last season, Leicester City, make a managerial change this week and you have to worry for Martin if his side keep on losing.

I do have a feeling it will be defeat number 11 for Southampton this weekend, too.

Brighton got a good win at Bournemouth last time out, despite playing for half an hour with 10 men.

It won't be a rout, but the Seagulls will find a way to win.

Edwards' prediction: 2-0

Brighton play good football and are very well organised. They are a much better team than Southampton.

Read the full predictions and have your say here

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Southampton full back Kyle Walker-Peters spoke to BBC Radio Solent about the Saints' season so far: "Everyone in the team [buys into Russell Martin's style]. Everyone in the team wants to play in this way. We trust the manager and we're fully behind him in how he wants to do things.

"We've done well against the top teams. I think our problem is that we don't show the same fearlessness against teams around us. We need to start to do that.

On his future: "It's easy - I'm a footballer, I want to play football. While I'm here, I'm enjoying playing under Russell and with my team-mates. I have only got a few months left on my contract, but my main focus is on keeping Southampton in the Premier League."

Listen to the full interview here

Who scored Southampton's first Premier League goal of the 2024-25 season?

Answer will be revealed at 17:00 GMT

Southampton boss Russell Martin has been speaking to the media before Friday's Premier League game against Brighton (kick-off 20:00 GMT).

Here are the key lines from his news conference:

• Midfielder Adam Lallana is out for "a couple of weeks" after suffering a hamstring injury against Liverpool, while Martin is hopeful that striker Paul Onuachu "will come through alright" after being assessed. He said: "It's not a bad injury at all which is really good news for us, just a niggle so hopefully we can manage that and he can be involved."

• On the manner of the first goal conceded against Liverpool on Sunday: "It's risk and reward. It's what has got us to the Premier League, the lads' willingness to play and showing courage to play and intensity to play, but it just wasn't quite right; the detail, the timing, the way Mateus [Fernandes] received the ball, he wasn't ready to receive it and then Flynn [Downes] under real pressure there, it's just unfortunate. But I'll never criticise the players if the intention is right. I think they showed brilliant courage."

• On Southampton's plans for the future: "It is a long-term plan in terms of the academy, player development, what comes through and I'm really enjoying being part of that process - but we are very early on in that process. The plan is for the owners and myself to focus on the football and I'm enjoying that and the plan hasn't deviated, despite the disappointments so far this season. We're still really trying to work hard on building the football club and giving it a really solid platform, whatever the results are."

• On Brighton: "They obviously had a very good purpose at the beginning about the stadium and trying to get to the Premier League in a sustainable way. The one thing they have done is they are so clear in their strategy in their plan and what they want. The best part about that football club is their talent ID, whether it is staff, players and the model of what they want to be."

• He added: "Graham [Potter] inherited a brilliant group from Chris [Hughton] and did it in his own way. Then Roberto [de Zerbi] inherited a brilliant platform and basis from Graham and now Fabian [Hurzeler] has got an incredible platform to build from with what Roberto has left and is putting his own spin on it. It's a brilliant model. They never deviate too far. It's not a surprise to me how well they are doing with the quality they have in the squad."

Follow all of Thursday's Premier League news conferences and the rest of the day's football news

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Brighton are the only team to be unbeaten when conceding the first goal in Premier League games this season (W2 D2).

Meanwhile, Southampton have gone on to lose all eight games in which they have conceded first, with only Nottingham Forest also having a 100% loss rate (2/2).

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BBC Sport's chief football writer Phil McNulty has been answering your questions.

Adam asked: What do you think Southampton have to do to survive this season? And should Russell Martin stay or go?

Phil answered: Cutting out the crazy individual errors I witnessed against Liverpool at St Mary's on Sunday would be a good start.

The unfortunate thing for Southampton is that so much of what I saw in that game was good, only to be undermined needlessly.

Yes, I do think Russell Martin needs to tweak his style of playing out from the back because it was inviting trouble from the start against Liverpool. It is all very laudable but there has to be a time and a place, especially against Liverpool.

Obviously there is attention on Martin's position and no top-flight team has ever stayed up after losing 10 of their first 12 league games, so the situation is very serious.

Will the Saints board stick or will they twist in a bid to survive?

I hope he does survive, as he did take Southampton up, but his high-risk approach is easy prey to the best Premier League teams and there has to be some pragmatism when results are so bad.

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Former Southampton player Jo Tessem says they are not good enough at playing out from the back so "something has to give" if Saints are to survive this season in the Premier League.

The catalogue of defensive errors that led to Flynn Downes presenting Dominik Szoboszlai with the chance to score Liverpool's first goal on Sunday was the seventh time this season they have made a mistake that has contributed directly to goal.

"In the first half of the game we were trying to play possession football, in our half, when there wasn't actually any space to play it," Tessem said on Goin' Home With Adam And Jo. "Liverpool were set up to punish us. They were just waiting.

"Some of it comes down to the responsibility of the players - but Russell Martin has said it is his ideas and style, so the main responsibility lies on him. He is the one who is saying that is how we are going to play.

"We are here in the Premier League and you play to stay in the league, not to go down. If the style of play clearly isn't good enough for it - and we are clearly not good enough at it - then something has to give.

"We don't need big changes - so I'm not saying just boot the ball up long - but the possession football you have has to come from smart play that stretches the opponent.

"I don't see them creating space for one another. These are the things that make you better in the Premier League."

Listen to the full episode on BBC Sounds

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We asked for your thoughts after Sunday's Premier League game between Southampton and Liverpool, which the Reds won 3-2.

Here are some of your comments:

Southampton fans

Rod: Played well, again, but gifted them two goals, again. It's time for Martin to acknowledge that his desired style of play does reflect the capabilities of his team.

Duncan: I'm convinced that sacking the manager would be a disaster. There is fight in this team, there is skill and there is intelligence. We saw with our own eyes what happens when the defence just hoof the ball out - to cheers from the crowd - it comes straight back. Off to Brighton next, with hope and confidence.

Hedley: The manager must go! He employs suicidal tactics, taking ridiculous risks in and around the team's penalty box. In addition, many of the players are not nearly good enough. They wasted millions of pounds buying third rate players in the summer. They must change the manager and completely change their style of play, or else relegation is certain!

Tom: Well Russell, pride comes before a fall. Unfortunately your refusal to change and adapt your style in the Premier League is getting us relegated. The same interview every week by him. Thanks for getting us promoted but it's time for a change.

Liverpool fans

Sean: Found a way to win again despite not being at our best. Great team spirit goes a long way in a title charge.

Zahid: I'm not exactly sure we were dominant but we were certainly doing well. Salah's performance showed why FSG need to agree a new deal with him. We were caught on the counter-attack and the other goal was a penalty that should never have been. But, I'm pretty satisfied with the game and hope we can get wins against Real Madrid and Manchester City.

Barry: Before the game I thought this was going to be a tough game considering what happened at the Eitihad and the underlying pressure that brings. The difference is we battled back to a deserved victory and got the job done. I'm really confident about next weekend now. Only downside was Darwin was non existent for me (again).

Trevor: The Reds still like to go behind and then come back to win. Not good enough when the manager every week says we lack the intensity in the first half. A required win rather than a good one. Well done, Saints. Not good enough, Reds. You are getting away with it at the moment - results and table flatters.

Jason Mohammad presents highlights and analysis from Sunday's two Premier League fixtures, plus the best of the action from the rest of the weekend.

If you missed Match of the Day 2, catch up now on BBC iPlayer.

And you can watch Saturday's Match of the Day here.

Listen back to the weekend's full match commentaries on BBC Sounds:

• Arsenal 3-0 Nottingham Forest

• Manchester City 0-4 Tottenham Hotspur

• Southampton 2-3 Liverpool

• Ipswich Town 1-1 Manchester United

A new episode of Goin' Home With Adam And Jo is now available to download and listen to on BBC Sounds.

BBC Radio Solent's Adam Blackmore is joined by former Saints stiker Jo Tessem who came out of the international break fired up and wondering if Steve Cooper's sacking by Leicester might start a domino effect.

"Something needs to change, and you can't sack the players," he said after Sunday's dramatic 3-2 home defeat to Liverpool.

Listen to the full episode on BBC Sounds

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Southampton boss Russell Martin to Sky Sports: "I'm very disappointed but very proud of a lot of the performances. We went toe to toe with the best team in the league at the moment. The two goals are really not good and the penalty is as well. I have a big issue with Adam Armstrong not getting a penalty at 2-1. The goalkeeper collides with him. It's what VAR is there for. I have a big problem with that decision.

"There's a real clear offside as well. There are five of their players clearly offside and the flag doesn't go up. We had a real threat but we should have been better with the ball. I think there's so much more to come. The fight is there, they're running. It gives us a platform to build on.

"It's about work, analyse the problems. It's my fault because we thought we would have a chance on transition play. We have to keep learning and helping the players through it as much as we can. Playing out is what got us to the Premier League and I'm really proud of the players.

"Paul [Onuachu] has been so patient and had to wait for his opportunity. Disappointed to lose him to an injury, hopefully, it's not too bad. Tyler [Dibbling] is a really great young player who needs to play at the right place. His ceiling is so high and can play where he wants in the future.

"I think the feeling is very different from the last time this club was in the Premier League. There's no lack of fight. They're really trying."

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Southampton have made eight errors directly leading to goals in the Premier League this season, the most of any side.

Were you at the game or following from elsewhere?

Have your say on Southampton's performance, external

What did you make of Liverpool's display?, external

Come back to this page on Monday to find a selection of your replies

Chris Sutton is making predictions for all 380 Premier League games this season, against a variety of guests.

For week 12 he takes on The Farm singer and Liverpool fan Peter Hooton.

The Farm's new single, Forever & Ever, is out now and their new album, Let The Music (Take Control), is released in May 2025.

Sutton's prediction: 0-2

Liverpool could not have wished for a better start under Arne Slot, whose side are five points clear at the top.

This is a game where everyone is expecting them to easily beat bottom side Southampton, and understandably so.

I am expecting Liverpool to win too, but I don't think it will be an absolute walloping.

Saints are scrapping and they proved they can be resilient when they lost narrowly to Manchester City at the end of last month, so they can make it hard for Slot's side too.

Hooton’s prediction: 0-2

I was looking at the Premier League website and not many teams at the bottom have ever beaten a team at the top. There have been 39 games between top and bottom, with bottom only winning four of them and I can't see this being any different.

My only worry is that a lot of our players will have been in South America but it definitely helps that we are playing on Sunday and have 24 hours more rest. We have got two massive games coming up next week, against Real Madrid then Manchester City, so I think we might be rotating our squad a bit here anyway. Hopefully Slot carries on his pragmatic way of winning games.

Read the full predictions and have your say here

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Liverpool head coach Arne Slot says Southampton "have been unlucky" this so far this season and do not play like a team that are bottom of the Premier League.

Before Sunday's meeting at St Mary's Stadium, Slot had high praise for Russell Martin's side, who have picked up four points from 11 games.

"They are bottom of the league but they don't play at all like this," Slot said. "Their playing style is intriguing.

"I would say they are much more than a capable team. They have shown that they are very, very capable of playing teams like us.

"They have been unlucky but their style has ben excellent. They could have got a result in almost every game they have played.

"Everyone is talking about playing Real Madrid and then Manchester City but, in my opinion, Southampton will be difficult as well."

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Southampton midfielder Flynn Downes says the Saints should watch the way that Liverpool "pick their times" to press and attack in order to make life difficult for Arne Slot's Premier League leaders on Sunday.

"It looks like they are more structured and pick their times better," Downes told BBC Radio Solent. "That's something we need to watch, see how they do it and then hopefully do that against them and make it tough for them."

Southampton sit bottom of the league after 11 games, but Downes believes they have the quality to start climbing the table.

"I know I can do so much more and do so much better,. We are all adjusting to the Premier League and we have new players. That isn't an excuse - it just takes time to build those relationships with players. There have been a few changes in the team and that is tough as a player, but I just want to do the best I can for the team.

"I do feel like I am doing too much running at times. When I watch it back, sometimes I look and you could not do the running and sit back, watch and wait. That's something I want to add to my game.

"I know we are bottom of the table. There is so much to play for. On the training pitch, we know how good we are.

"This season on the pitch, we have not handled setbacks well - when we go 1-0 down. We all feel we are good enough to be in this league and we have just got to show it."

Full commentary of Southampton v Liverpool on BBC Radio 5 Live from 14:00 GMT on Sunday