All the early possession at the feet of Southampton. Good tempo from Ralph Hasenhuttl's side.

Ah, as soon as I says that Nathan Redmond drifts inside. The Saints midfielder picks up the ball, plays a slick one-two with Danny Ings before shooting from 25 yards. Meat and drink for Ben Foster though.

The Saints looking to play with plenty of width, Nathan Redmond and Moussa Djenepo hugging the touchlines in the opening exchanges.

Plenty of noise inside the St Mary's as the home fans look to give their team plenty of vocal support. Unless the pitchside mics are whacked up.

Almost the perfect way to make amends. Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg, moments after that stray pass, has a dig himself from a similar range as Sarr. But the Saints skipper's shot is always rising and doesn't trouble Ben Foster.

Hang on... there is almost an early goal though! Saints skipper Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg sloppily gives away possession and the eyes of Watford's Ismaila Sarr light up. He has a pop from 20 yards but it is straight at Alex McCarthy. Let off.

Shane Long scored after 7.69 seconds in this fixture last season. No such drama this time.

Southampton have the honour. Michael Oliver does a head count, peeps his whistle and that means it is game on.

Image source, BBC Sport

Ralph Hasenhuttl makes one enforced change to the Southampton side that drew 2-2 with Arsenal last weekend.

Moussa Djenepo makes his third Premier League start of the season in place of Stuart Armstrong, who is ruled out with a hamstring problem.

Sofiane Boufal is on the bench after stubbing his big toe on his kitchen table in midweek.

Southampton XI: McCarthy, Soares, Bednarek, Stephens, Bertrand, Ward-Prowse, Hojbjerg, Djenepo, Obafemi, Ings, Redmond

Substitutes: Gunn, Yoshida, Long, Adams, Romeu, Boufal, Valery

Image source, BBC Sport

Quique Sanchez Flores makes two changes to the Watford team that lost 3-0 at home to Burnley.

Adam Masina replaces the injured Craig Dawson in defence, while Ismaila Sarr comes in for striker Andre Gray.

Roberto Pereyra has overcome a thigh strain but has to settle for a place on the bench.

Watford XI: Foster, Femenia, Mariappa, Masina, Cathcart, Holebas, Doucoure, Capoue, Hughes, Deulofeu, Sarr

Substitutes: Gomes, Deeney, Chalobah, Gray, Quina, Foulquier, Pereyra

While the DJ continues to pump out the tunes and flicker the strobe lighting, the players wander out of the tunnel. Here's a quick reminder of the teams...

Watford

Watford head coach Quique Sanchez Flores: "The situation of the team means it is a more significant match for us, Every single weekend, there are a lot of managers under pressure, it is normal. When we accept the challenge to lead teams, we accept the pressure and the responsibility that comes with the job.

"I think we are making a big mistake talking about me and about my job, my position. You are talking about the happiness of a lot of people. The happiness of the fans, the future of the club, the future of the squad, [we should be] talking about that."

Southampton

Southampton manager Ralph Hasenhuttl: "I think every period is important, but this one now against teams around us is very, very important - they are all 'six-point games'. Wins are massive and losing is also massive.

"It has not been an easy season so far, we had a difficult start, but there is a lot of belief in what we are doing and this gives us the energy to get points as soon as possible."

Take That and Rod Stewart both played at St Mary's earlier this year - gigs, not football matches - and it seems the stage lighting has not been derigged.

Flashing lights and loud dance music give the stadium a proper Saturday night feeling...

No idea who will be dancing at the end of the night with their boots in their hand.

Robyn Cowen
BBC Sport commentator

There's no glossing over it, this is a massive game for the clubs involved and their respective managers.

Although Watford have won more recently than Southampton, the mood coming into this encounter couldn't be more different from their previous fixtures. Southampton should have collected three points from their game at Arsenal, their profligacy in front of goal their downfall.

Meanwhile, Watford were well beaten by Burnley at Vicarage Road, a big setback following their first win of the season at Norwich.

It seems neither Quique Sanchez Flores nor Ralph Hasenhuttl are under immediate threat - if we have a winner at St Mary's, that could change quickly.

Right then, shall we switch our focus to the south coast? Yes, yes we will.

This was already billed as a relegation 'six pointer' - one for Football Cliches there... - and its importance has increased further by West Ham's win at Chelsea.

Tottenham Hotspur

Tottenham midfielder Eric Dier speaking on Match of the Day: 'We are doing well, three wins in a row and we’re happy were we are. I have been feeling good for a while and I am very happy to have played in recent games.

On conceding two late goals: 'We are disappointed in the way we are finishing off these games, we need to do better in that area at 3-0 we should have finished off the game.

'Next one (Manchester United away) is a massive game for us and also for the manager coming back to his old club and it’s always a great place to go: we had some good results there and hopefully we can have another one.

Burnley

Burnley manager Sean Dyche: "It was more frustrating that disappointing. I am not disappointed because I thought we played well. The frustration comes with not taking our chances. They stayed in shape and broke and we did not deal with those breaks today. Sometimes you think it was not your day but you have to take your chances and we did not take them today."

Tottenham Hotspur

Spurs boss Jose Mourinho on Dele Alli: "He plays in a position where he feels happy and comfortable, we also give him space for his creativity which he always has.

'I think he played three phenomenal matches since I arrived.

On the fans' reception:'The fans love the club , I’m not saying they love me but they accept me as a top professional who wants to give everything for the club.

'People have more reasons to love me if they like my work, but the fans are behind the team and the see us working hard to get to a position in the table that is more suitable to the talent of this squad.

Brighton & Hove Albion

Brighton manager Graham Potter speaking to Match of the Day: "We put a lot into the game. There were lots of positives for us. In the first 10-15 minutes we weren't quite as aggressive and didn't have the belief we needed.

"We gave a really good account of ourselves against a top, top team. We are disappointed because we came away with nothing but with the performance and the effort, we could have come away with something.

"We had good chances at 2-0 down. Virgil van Dijk was so powerful in his two actions for their goals and we weren't as good. That's the reality. But over the 90 minutes we put so much into the game and we need to take that foirward and carry on improving.

On their goal: "I'm not sure what the situation is. I thought there was a foul on Adam Connolly in the lead up to one of their goals. I don't want to talk about the referee. We are just pleased we came to such a competitive, hostile place and gave a good account of ourselves."

Tottenham Hotspur

Tottenham manager Jose Mourinho speaking to Match of the Day: 'I think it was in our best period when we scored the third goal, we were close to score the fourth and then when they scored the first one it was a different game.

'I felt the boys felt a bit tired after playing a high intensity game, but we had the chance to score the fourth goals, but then in the Premier League the game is always alive.

'We played well for long period of the games, we had a few scary moments but I think the fans enjoyed. We scored seven goals in four days."