Southampton

Southampton manager Russell Martin wants his players to use the hurt of their defeat to Sunderland earlier in the season when they welcome the Black Cats to St. Mary's on Saturday.

The Saints will be looking for revenge after they were hammered 5-0 at the Stadium of Light in September.

"It was probably the worst day we've had together for sure," Martin said in his pre-match news conference.

"It was a long afternoon. They were good and we were in a completely different place to where we are now.

"Do I feel any more about it, do I want to win any more? No, I want to win every game. The feeling we had up there, I've spoke to the players about it and it's an important one. We should still feel hurt by it, and use that to make sure we don't feel that again and feel in a completely different way after tomorrow.

"They played really well on Tuesday and will consider themselves really unfortunate to not get at least a point against Leicester.

"They are a good team, a young team and have a coach who's been there for quite a while now with a few different managers. He knows the players and has been coaching for a long time and done well in his interim spell before.

"He has real clarity in what they're doing. They are really well organised and really well coached, they have some really talented individuals. One of their best qualities is their energy and willingness to run. It will be a difficult game. I'm really looking forward to it."

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Southampton could play a part in something never seen before in English football this season.

If the Saints, Leeds and Leicester manage to secure promotion to the top flight, it will be the first time that all three relegated teams go back up at the first possible opportunity.

If only two of the three teams secure promotion, it will be the seventh time that has happened, with Norwich and Watford in 2020-21 the most recent to achieve this feat.

Kieran McKenna's Ipswich are the team most likely to disrupt this record as they are currently second with 10 games to go.

Game on!

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Southampton's Championship game against Preston North End on Wednesday has been postponed, the club have confirmed.

The match was due to take place at 19:45 GMT, but the club have released a statement explaining the decision has been made in consultation with local authorities and emergency services after a major fire broke out in a building next to St Mary's Stadium.

The incident has caused major disruption in the local area with road closures being put in place while the fire service continue to deal with the situation.

"We are grateful for the cooperation of Preston and the EFL, and while we appreciate the disappointment fans may feel, we hope they will understand the need to put the safety of supporters and staff of both clubs first," the statement read.

"The game will be postponed to a new date, which will be announced in due course, and all tickets for tonight’s match will be valid for the rearranged fixture."

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Southampton manager Russell Martin says his players will "have to fight for everything" until the end of the season if the Saints are to keep their promotion hopes alive.

Southampton got back to winning ways on Saturday with a 4-3 victory against Birmingham City but their attention has quickly turned to their two home games against Preston North End and Sunderland this week.

In his pre-match news conference, Martin highlighted how much he will need his whole squad in the last stretch of the season.

"We're going to need that," he said. "We have three games this week, it's a huge week for us. I can pretend it's not, but it is.

"We can put ourselves in a really brilliant position. This season is unique. We are averaging two points a game, any other season I think it puts you in the top two by quite some way.

"This season it's not going to be enough, so we have to fight for everything. We have 11 games left and we're going to need everyone, so the squad is going to look different."

Martin is expecting a "hard" test against Preston, who go into Wednesday's game on an unbeaten run of seven league games.

He continued: "We're meeting them at a really difficult time because they are in a really good place.

"We know what to expect. They are very physical, very strong, athletic, powerful and really good at what they do, and the way they play. So they will definitely try to make it hard for us. We have to play in the same way we have done in the past two games.

"The way we start the game has such an effect on everything else. I loved the willingness to risk the ball on Saturday [against Birmingham], to create chances, to run for each other. It felt like the team was back in that sense.

"Now we need to bring that again, that's the challenge, and also make sure we defend in a much better way. We can't go from being so mean and difficult to score against, to the goals we have conceded recently. There needs to be a balance in the game."

Harry Tizard
Fan writer

Southampton showed their dogged determination against Birmingham City, twice coming from behind to snatch a 96th-minute winner to prove they are not giving up on automatic promotion.

However, as much as the 4-3 triumph over the Blues was vital for the Saints in the Championship, it was also an opportunity for Will Smallbone to show the doubters he is not a weak point in the midfield.

The Republic of Ireland international delivered two assists to help Southampton go ahead in the second half and was pushed in front of the adoring away fans by Russell Martin and Jack Stephens to take in the welcome support.

Everyone can have a poor run of games and be criticised for it. That's football.

But the bombardment of negativity towards the 24-year-old was over the top and unwarranted.

Smallbone featured in all but one of Southampton's 22-game unbeaten streak in the Championship (starting 17) and has been one of Martin's go-to men.

As a club built around giving academy graduates a chance, fans should be proud of the midfielder.

Many players were quick to exit when Southampton were relegated from the Premier League, but Smallbone wanted to stay and prove himself.

He should be held in much higher esteem.

Harry Tizard can be found at The Saints Score, external

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Former Southampton striker Jo Tessem says Saturday's dramatic and thrilling 4-3 win at Birmingham City can be a "turning point" in their fight for automatic promotion to the Premier league.

Southampton had to twice come from behind before beating the 10 men with a Joe Aribo winner six minutes into added time.

"We're back in it," Tessem told the Goin' Home With Adam And Jo podcast. "We are chasing and we're in the right kind of position to chase. This is going to be a race.

"I have to admit, I started writing Saints off as well because we lost three games to Bristol City, Millwall and Hull and we felt like we were falling behind after those three games - and we had the Liverpool game where we lost as well.

"This was the turning point for me, and you need those kind of turning points to get you going. We got back into it after being 1-0 down, 2-1 down, 3-3 and then winning it in the 96th minute 4-3.

"We struggled to score but we had so many good chances. We played forward football, we put the ball into space, we had runners, people being positive, making the runs before the pass had gone, bringing and playing it forward with pace.

"No stopping and playing it sideways and backwards. We attacked and we were really positive.

"That's the way we have to play football, that's the way the 4-3-3 formation is set up to attack. We had the wingers to do it."

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Southampton boss Russell Martin has praised the "courage" of his players and wants them to continue in the same vein for the rest of the season.

The Saints were beaten 3-0 by Liverpool in the FA Cup on Wednesday, but played with attacking intent and had numerous opportunities to score.

However, that was their fourth loss in five games in all competitions, having been on a club record 25 match unbeaten run before that.

Martin wants his side to double down on their offensive style of play against Birmingham City on Saturday.

"I wish that I had had the opportunity to do that [play with courage] at a place like Anfield," Martin said. "I'll never take that [playing with courage] for granted. The perceived risk but reward for it and the feeling players get on the pitch for it tops anything really. If you can win in that way it is the best way to win.

"You come off the pitch feeling like you deserved the win and earned the right to win through being so brave."

The relentless form of promotion rivals Leicester City, Leeds and Ipswich has nudged Southampton into fourth, five points off the top two. Martin, however, is undeterred in his plans for the club.

"I think we have a group of players who believe so much in what they are doing," he said. "They perform with so much courage and intensity to run so hard for each other and that is all I could ever ask. For the next 12 games, all I want to see is that running and showing for each other.

"The level of love they showed on the ball for each other [against Liverpool] was incredible. But guess what? It's not always going to work and that is life and that is football. There is no right or wrong way to play it."

Former Southampton striker Jo Tessem says he was "disappointed" to see Russell Martin's side crash out of the FA Cup fifth round after a 3-0 loss to Liverpool's "B team" at Anfield.

"I'm kind of discussing with myself what I think about the game," said Tessem on BBC Radio Solent's Goin' Home With Adam And Jo podcast.

"The first half was good, we played forward and we did a lot of good things, created chances. Sometimes getting that goal changes the momentum of games and it is so important to get. We didn't get that goal.

"We played against a B team, we played against Liverpool's B team. We created chances and we should be better than them, we should be creating chances. I think that's why I am disappointed.

"Had we scored, I think we would've put more pressure on their youngsters. We would've stressed them more, we would've stressed Liverpool more. So it is firstly down to not taking your chances, and we had three very good chances in the first half."

On Martin making eight changes for the game, Tessem added: "I think [Kamaldeen] Sulemana had the best chance when he hit the post; he had the ball, took his time, placed it, couldn't score. It is a tricky one.

"[Samuel] Edozie made good runs in behind, didn't get the ball, and you've got to play it in there. I was wondering why we weren't playing it in. Were they considering the possession play more than being direct? Was it the respect for these [Liverpool] players or would a more experienced player have demanded the ball better?

"You should be brave against kids because that's basically what Liverpool had out there. That's the worrying side, for me."

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We asked you for your thoughts on Wednesday's FA Cup tie between Liverpool and Southampton.

Here are some of your comments:

Ian: Once again, we failed to take good chances. None of our strikers are Premier League quality and that needs to be put right. Perhaps we're not yet ready for promotion, neither the players nor management. It's been a good season up to now but the recent defeats, and this game, have shown they need to invest in better players. There ought to be enough money.

Paul: We should have won the game by half-time. We had a lot of chances wasted in front of goal. Was it down to the big occasion or is it the same problem we were facing in our last few games that could jeopardize our automatic promotion chances?

Ben: Same old Southampton. They were the better team with the better chances, but it's a familiar story against Premier League opposition. We failed to put away the chances. At least the owners know what we're missing. We need the next Rickie Lambert.

Daz: Saints are not a Premier League side if they can't beat Liverpool youth! Our defence is shocking, we need stronger defenders and a stronger goalkeeper if we are to stand any chance of getting out of the Championship or progressing in any future competitions. They need to stop playing out from the back, it's dangerous and can be costly. Saints are crumbling with the pressure!