REPORT: Southampton 3 Norwich 0

Southampton earned their first league victory of the season with a comfortable win over newly promoted Norwich. Steven Whittaker was dismissed for two bookable offences before Graziano Pellè struck on the brink of half-time. In the second period, Dušan Tadić added two more goals to further extend Saints’ lead as they start to put their Europa League blues behind them.

The drama began at St Mary’s an hour early as the team sheets were announced. There was to be no return for Victor Wanyama as Ronald Koeman asserted that the Kenyan was not “mentally and physically good enough to play” amid rumours of a potential transfer to Tottenham. In other team news, Saints made three changes from the defeat to FC Midtjylland with Steven Caulker, Cuco Martina and Jay Rodriguez dropping out of the starting line-up as Cédric Soares, Dušan Tadić and Sadio Mané came in. Norwich’s starting XI was unchanged from the draw with Stoke but Ricky van Wolfswinkel replaced the suspended Lewis Grabban on the bench.

As Southampton kicked the game off, they were immediately on the offensive. James Ward-Prowse stepped up to bend a free kick over the wall and towards the top corner however John Ruddy was just about equal to the effort as he flung himself across his goal to palm the ball behind. Saints had good early possession and were making use of either flank with Tadić and Mané being ably supported by Matt Targett and Soares respectively. Meanwhile, in the absence of Wanyama, Oriol Romeu was expertly anchoring Saints’ midfield, allowing Ward-Prowse and Steven Davis to bolster the attack. Norwich were not as adventurous with Cameron Jerome cutting a lone figure throughout large spells of the match, however the targetman did have a clear sight of goal during a rare foray forward from the Canaries in the 21^st minute. An overhit cross from the left found Graham Dorrans at the back post who sent the ball back across with interest onto the head of Jerome who could only glance it wide. Their task was made rather more challenging on the half hour mark. Having been booked a few minutes previously for blocking Targett’s throw in petty fashion, he hauled Tadić down running towards goal and with the Serbian international waving an imaginary card, referee Jonathan Moss held a yellow card aloft before delving into his back pocket. Tadić then went to high five Ward-Prowse which brought criticism from some corners for a lack of sportsmanship. In his post-match interview, Ronald Koeman stated that he would remind Saints’ number 11 about the importance of fair play though this was the sole blemish on Tadić’s accomplished performance. He seemed to be refreshed and rejuvenated as he continuously jinked his way down the left wing. Unsurprisingly, Whittaker’s dismissal spurred Southampton on to pressure the Canaries further and they got their rewards just before the half-time whistle. As Norwich strived to break out from their left back position, Ward-Prowse won the ball back and turned in one smooth movement before setting Sadio Mané away on the right side who found Graziano Pellè primed to put the ball past Ruddy at the near post.

Despite Southampton finding the breakthrough, Ronald Koeman elected to put further stress on Norwich’s defence as Steven Davis made way for Jay Rodriguez at half-time. Accordingly, for the opening 15 minutes of the second period, they turned the screw. Saints peppered Ruddy’s goal as he blocked forceful shots from Mané and Rodriguez. Norwich briefly threatened down the other end however the usually impressive Nathan Redmond could not find a way past the resolute Targett and on the hour mark, Southampton effectively sealed victory. Saints patiently worked the ball down the right side where Mané found space to run into before rolling the ball across the box for the on running Tadić who made no mistake with his weaker right foot tan yards out. Southampton were running Norwich ragged at this point and minutes later, Soares was free on the right wing to dink the ball onto Pellè’s head who was superbly denied by Ruddy however he was helpless to rebuff Tadić from a yard out. From that point on, Southampton controlled the game but did little to add to their tally. Substitute Juanmi emulated Tadić with some dazzling footwork on the left but this was the main highlight in the closing minutes from a Southampton perspective. The Canaries finally tested Maarten Stekelenburg late on in the proceedings as Bradley Johnson stung the Dutch stopper’s palms but substitute Gary Hooper could only fire the rebound wide.

Man of the Match

Dušan Tadić – This was the Serbian’s best performance of the calendar year so far as he gave Steven Whittaker and his deputy Andre Wisdom a torrid afternoon. Tadić was creative on the wing and clinical in the box, as he calmly finished his opportunities with ease. Perhaps, he is starting to replicate his form from the first half of last season.

Teams and Ratings

Southampton

Stekelenburg 6 – Soares 7 (Martina 72’ 6), Fonte (C) 6, Yoshida 7, Targett 7 – Ward-Prowse 7, Romeu 8 – Mané 7 (Juanmi 81’ N/A), S. Davis 6 (Rodriguez 45’ 6), Tadić 8 – Pellè 7

Goals: Pellè (45'+1), Tadić (64’,66’)

Norwich

Ruddy 6 – Whittaker 3, Martin 5, Bassong 5, Brady 6 – Redmond 5, Dorrans 6 (Johnson 70’ 6), Tettey 5, Howson 5 – Hoolahan 5 (Wisdom 32’ 4) – Jerome 4 (Hooper 89’ N/A)

Bookings: Whittaker

Red Cards: Whittaker

PREVIEW: Southampton v Norwich

Unavailable: Southampton – Forster, Gardoş, Bertrand, Clasie

                        Norwich – Mulumbu, Grabban

In the build up to this weekend’s contest, Norwich shot stopper John Ruddy declared that Southampton were in a state of “disarray”. If the England international thought that was the case on Thursday afternoon, he along with his teammates would have been given further hope as they no doubt witnessed Saints’ limp exit at the final stage of qualifying in the Europa League. Yet, “disarray” is a rather hyperbolic word to describe Southampton’s current predicament. While it would be naïve to ignore the importance of the loss to FC Midtjylland and the great disappointment it brought to Saints fans, it does not signify a crisis at St Mary’s. Not if one analyses the resilient backbone that the club has displayed on any previous occasion in the past few years when the going has got tough. This fighting spirit was epitomised by José Fonte’s genuinely emotional post-match interview on Thursday in which he apologised to Southampton fans, but just like in the summer of 2014, it will be objective results on the pitch that will be measured – not words. Southampton did exceptionally well to wrong the doubters on that occasion and they must repeat the trick once more.

This Sunday acts as an opportunity to soothe the raw wounds opened up by the Wolves in Denmark however this will be no mean feat. Norwich are notoriously tricky customers away from home and the Canaries are unbeaten in their travels since the start of 2015. It is no coincidence that this was also the moment when Alex Neil walked through the door at Carrow Road. The 34-year-old Scot has reinvigorated the East Anglia club while retaining much of the squad that was relegated two years ago, therefore Premier League experience is in abundance in his dressing room. Moreover, he has inspired a decent start to the season. The Canaries have earned four points however they have been unfortunate not to have secured more from their opening three games. Yet Southampton will be hungry to spoil Norwich’s good form and make Ruddy mince his words come Sunday evening.

Key Battles

Soares v Brady: This will be the contest of the attacking full backs if Koeman elects to give the Portuguese the nod. These two will both be sprinting down the wing in an attempt to give their respective sides genuine width. In Robbie Brady, Norwich have a player who has real quality when whipping the ball in from crossing positions and Cédric Soares will have to effectively shackle the Manchester United academy graduate. Moreover, Soares may be at a disadvantage when defending as it is likely that Koeman will select one of Sadio Mané, Dušan Tadić or Shane Long in front of him on the right. While all of these players track back well, they are still very offensively minded in comparison with Jonny Howson who will give Brady ample protection. Soares was overawed against Everton and he will want to exhibit his talent to the St Mary’s faithful if selected ahead of Cuco Martina.

Targett v Redmond: Nathan Redmond has consistently been linked with Southampton over the past few summers but Saints have supposedly been reluctant to match Norwich’s valuation of the England Under-21 international. They may well be made to pay for that decision on Sunday. Redmond has improved year on year as he develops his game and has become a real peril for the opposition’s defence. He enjoys getting chalk on his boots and finding crosses for Norwich frontman Cameron Jerome, but is also very able when he comes inside. There was a pertinent example of this in Norwich’s match against Sunderland when Redmond played a clever one-two on the inside right channel before slotting the ball home. Therefore, Matt Targett will have to have his wits about him. Like his teammates, the young full back has had a challenging start to the season. Last weekend against Watford, Targett struggled with the pace of Ikechi Anya and he will have no respite this time out. Reportedly, Targett was ill but such is the current pressure on the England Under-21 international with the absence of Ryan Bertrand, he has had to play every game. Undoubtedly, Targett has not developed as quickly as Luke Shaw before him however he does show real promise. He excelled in the home leg against Midtjylland and he will have to repeat that form if he wishes to seriously challenge Bertrand upon his return to action. On Sunday, it will be necessary for him to remain vigilant in his positioning as the unpredictability and pace of Redmond has the potential to be a real threat to Saints’ backline.

Possible Line-ups

Southampton: Stekelenburg – Soares, Fonte (C), Yoshida, Targett – Wanyama, Romeu – Mané, S. Davis, Tadić – Pellè

K. Davis, Long, Rodriguez, Martina, Ward-Prowse, Juanmi, Caulker

Norwich: Ruddy – Whittaker, Martin (C), Bassong, Brady – Redmond, Dorrans, Tettey, Howson – Hoolahan – Jerome

Rudd, Wisdom, Johnson, van Wolfswinkel, Hooper, R. Bennett, O’Neil 

REPORT: FC Midtjylland 1 Southampton 0 (2-1)

Southampton whimpered out at the play-off stage of the Europa League as they succumbed to FC Midtjylland in Herning. The sole goal came from targetman Morten “Duncan” Rasmussen in the first half but it was Saints’ lack of ingenuity that was the principal cause of their premature elimination from Europe’s secondary cup competition.

From the outset, it was obvious that Southampton would need a goal therefore the 500 strong travelling band of fans would have been slightly surprised as Koeman decided to stick with the defensive 5-3-2 formation that he adopted at Vicarage Road against Watford. Although there was no change in his side’s structure, there were a few switches in terms of personnel. Cuco Martina came in for Cédric Soares, James Ward-Prowse replaced the unavailable Victor Wanyama while Jay Rodriguez started ahead of Sadio Mané who was only fit enough for the bench. Meanwhile, Midtjylland were buoyed by the return of their captain Kristian Bach Bak, appropriately back in the right back slot.

As the match got underway, Southampton’s game plan was unambiguous. Koeman hinted in his pre-match press conference that his team may attempt to replicate their first leg success against the Wolves with a direct approach and this was unequivocally put into practice. Initially, this tactic seemed to pay dividends. After eventually clearing one of centre back Kian Hansen’s trademark long throws that was launched into their box, Saints began to press their hosts. After Rodriguez forced a corner, Jose Fonte met Ward-Prowse’s outswinging delivery with his head however the ball was dramatically cleared off the line by a red shirt. Moments later, Saints were close to finding the vital breakthrough once more, as Graziano Pellè beautifully clipped the ball behind the Midtjylland defence for Rodriguez to run onto but he elected to pass with his weaker left foot back to Ward-Prowse who had his effort blocked. From there on in, the heavens opened and this foreshadowed Saints’ fate. They looked completely void of ideas as they refused to veer away from their direct style. At any opportunity, Saints would exchange passes in their own half before lumping the ball towards Pellè who performed admirably in flicking the ball to his teammates when upon receiving a lofted pass. There was only one occasion when this worked to good effect as Steven Davis collected Pellè’s chest-down before rifling a low shot that Midtjylland ‘keeper Johan Dahlin palmed away well in the 23^rd minute. Yet, this style of play did not yield enough results on the night for Southampton and minutes later, they were made to pay for that miss. Rodriguez chased back to aid his teammates in the left back position but he gave the ball away to Bach Bak who whipped in a low cross for Rasmussen to turn past José Fonte and slide the ball across Maarten Stekelenburg into the bottom corner. For the rest of the half, Saints continued to look unusually abject. This was encapsulated by Fonte who looked uncharacteristically nervous with several wayward touches. The half time whistle was a relief as Southampton attempted to regroup.

There were no changes when the lime green shirts re-emerged for the second period as Koeman continued to instruct his players to hit Pellè early. In fact, it was the hosts who nearly extended their lead as Rasmussen nodded a free kick from the right narrowly past the post. In the 57^th minute, Koeman decided to switch his team around. Steven Caulker made way for Dušan Tadić as Saints were reshaped into a 4-2-3-1 formation. The Serbian international moved onto the left wing while Ward-Prowse came over to the right side. Koeman attempted to implement more of their usual game, and Tadić started to threaten as he continuously chipped the ball into the box from the left however the Midtjylland defence sheltered by former Saints academy boy Tim Sparv defended stoutly. There was however a moment of madness from a Midtjylland player minutes later when Ward-Prowse hit a bending free kick that Rasmussen flung an arm out to block inside the box. Despite Saints’ protests, the referee pointed for a corner. That was the only real spark in the second half as Saints failed to test Dahlin in the Wolves goal. Shane Long and Juanmi replaced Rodriguez and Davis as Saints went in pursuit of a goal but Midtjylland killed the game off and Southampton never looked like they would breach the Danish champions’ rigid defence. When the game came to a close, there was bedlam in the MCH Arena and an outpour of joy from the home fans. It is back to the drawing board at Staplewood though. Koeman claimed that his side were unlucky in his post-match interview and stated that the performance was of good quality though Southampton should have had more than enough quality to overcome Midtjylland over two legs – as combative and effective as they were. Perhaps, this was an attempt to shield his players after such a difficult defeat but Saints must pick themselves up quickly. After the excitement of European football being secured at the end of last season, Saints have left the competition in lacklustre fashion, however the season is young. Such a deflating evening will be hard to forget but Saints will at least have a chance to concentrate on mustering a decent domestic cup run while attempting to remain in the top ten. The second task begins on Sunday when Norwich visit St Mary’s.

Man of the Match

Tim Sparv – The Finnish midfielder expertly protected his back four again. It would have been interesting to see how his career would have unfolded had he remained on the South Coast for another couple of years.

Teams and Ratings

FC Midtjylland

Dahlin 6 – Bach Bak (C) 6 (Romer 83’ N/A), Hansen 6, Swiatchenko 6, Lauridsen 6 – Sparv 7 – Sisto 7 (Hassan 68’ 6), Andersson 6 (Pusic 80’ N/A), Poulsen 6, Royer 6 – Rasmussen 7

Bookings: Poulsen, Sparv

Goals: Rasmussen (26’)

Southampton

Stekelenburg 6 – Martina 5, Caulker 5 (Tadić 56’ 6), Fonte (C) 4, Yoshida 6, Targett 5 – Romeu 5, S. Davis 6 (Juanmi 83’ N/A), Ward-Prowse 5 – Rodriguez 5 (Long 76’ N/A), Pellè 6

Bookings: Rodriguez, Targett

PREVIEW: FC Midtjylland v Southampton (1-1)

Unavailable: FC Midtjylland – Hedinsson

                       Southampton – Forster, Gardos, Bertrand, Clasie, Wanyama

A year ago yesterday, Southampton visited Millwall looking to kick start their season with a win in the League Cup. Goals from Jack Cork and Graziano Pellè secured a victory and fast forward twelve immensely successful months; it is the day of another significant cup game, however the Jutland Peninsula provides somewhat of a different backdrop to The Den. Clearly, there are other differences beyond the match venue – the prize for finding a win in this game will be far greater than a third round tie in England’s secondary cup competition.

Although occasionally the object of derision and the supposed reason for clubs’ underperformance in domestic leagues, the Europa League provides Saints with the chance to play in the group stages of a European competition. The big boys may snort at the Champions League’s younger brother yet Saints would relish the opportunity to pit their wits against Europe’s best of the rest. To do this, they must first overcome their Danish opponents – a tricky task after witnessing their display at St Mary’s. What Midtjylland lacked in attractive play, they made up for in regimented organisation. In setting up a back four protected by Saints academy graduate Tim Sparv and using any dead ball opportunity they could to load the opposition’s box with black shirts, the Wolves maintained an effective threat. The Herning club are owned by Matthew Benham – an Englishman who swears by analytics in football. Also the owner of Brentford, he believes that statistics should dictate tactics and recruitment – the reason for the acrimonious departure of current Rangers’ boss Mark Warburton from Griffin Park. Controversial as it may seem, his philosophy and financial backing have yielded results on the pitch. Half of Midtjylland’s goals came from set pieces as they won their first Superliga title last season; therefore it will be necessary for Saints to remain wary of the Danish club’s aerial menace in order to overcome the final hurdle in qualification.

A clash of tactics?

Obviously, in a two legged tie, it is customary for the hosts of the second game to play slightly less conservatively, however, it is clear that Midtjylland’s boss Jess Thorup will not adopt this philosophy wholeheartedly. With the crucial away goal secured by Sparv’s sweet strike for his side, it is Saints who will have to force the issue. While it is doubtful that the Wolves will throw men forward to finish the tie, Thorup admitted that he would instruct his side to press higher to cut off the direct link from Saints’ backline to Pellè. This may well be a necessary measure in an attempt to subdue Southampton as Ronald Koeman admitted that he may compromise his side’s habitual attacking flair for a direct display that will see Saints get over the line.

Koeman will have to reshuffle his pack for the trip to Denmark. With Victor Wanyama staying on the South Coast with a stomach bug, Oriol Romeu will support the back four while Saints’ attacking players hunt out a goal to prevent their European exit. Against Watford on Sunday, Koeman chose a back five to combat their recent defensive worries while in the first leg against their Danish opponents, Maya Yoshida played at right back in preparation for an aerial bombardment from long throws. This time round, a more offensive approach is required at right back and Cuco Martina provides a compromise between Yoshida and the more attack-minded Cédric Soares. Moreover, the Japanese international may move to centre back as Steven Caulker looked nervous on occasions in the first leg. From an attacking viewpoint, Sadio Mané is doubtful so Shane Long could deputise, while an ever improving Jay Rodriguez should occupy Midtjylland defender Kian Hansen who seemed vulnerable in the first leg as Saints tested the Danish side’s resistance. Southampton will want to strike early but it is key that they remain patient because while Midtjylland will be cautious in their play, Thorup admits his side will most likely need to find the back of the net at some point during the evening due to Saints’ attacking prowess. Therefore, if Midtjylland cannot find said goal from a dead ball situation, they could leave gaps for Saints' attacking line-up to exploit.

Possible Line-ups

FC Midtjylland: Dahlin – Romer, Hansen, Swiatchenko (C), Lauridsen – Sparv – Sisto, Andersson, Poulsen, Royer – Onuachu

Andersen, Pusic, Urena, Olsson, Jensen, Rasmussen, Hassan

Southampton: Stekelenburg – Martina, Fonte (C), Yoshida, Targett – S. Davis, Romeu – Long, Ward-Prowse, Rodriguez – Pellè

K. Davis, Soares, Mané, Tadić, Reed, Juanmi, Caulker 

REPORT: Southampton 0 Everton 3

Everton put three goals past Southampton to put their St Mary’s hoodoo behind them. Romelu Lukaku headed the Toffees into the lead midway through the first half before adding to his account just before the break with a smart low finish. Ross Barkley finished the scoring with a curling shot late on as Saints could not find their way back into the encounter with a static performance.

Both managers made changes to their sides from the opening weekend, as Jay Rodriguez made way for Shane Long, while Arouna Koné had a starting berth for Everton as Kevin Mirallas was only fit enough for the bench. In the opening proceedings, Lukaku made an early impression as he raced down the left-wing, bustling off the challenge of Cédric Soares before his run was abruptly ended on the edge of the box by Matt Targett who duly picked up the obligatory booking. Yet it was Saints who dominated the early proceedings as they looked to force the issue. On the quarter-of-an-hour mark, Dušan Tadić managed to find space down the right hand side and delivered an inviting cross however Graziano Pellè could not direct his header towards Tim Howard’s goal. Minutes later, Saints went closer as Sadio Mané was played through on the left side by Pellè but Howard diverted the Senegalese’s fierce shot behind for a corner with an outstretched leg. From the resulting corner, an Everton head got the ball clear and Barkley played an inviting ball down the wing from the right-back position for Koné to race onto. Everton’s number nine clipped the ball into the centre where Lukaku was waiting to head the ball back across goal and in off the bar past the helpless Maarten Stekelenburg. This proved to be the pivotal moment in the game as Southampton struggled to get back into the game after the archetypal counter-attack goal from their opponents. Everton were now in the ascendancy and Lukaku found Barkley by the penalty spot however he could only tamely hit the ball at Stekelenburg’s legs, before Tom Cleverley wastefully side footed the rebound into the side netting. Saints endeavoured to find some joy in Everton’s defensive third but they were thwarted by Gareth Barry playing just in front of Phil Jagielka and John Stones to protect them from Mané’s pace, while Tadić was subdued as he found it challenging to break past the impressive teenage left-back, Brendan Galloway. In the centre of the park, Victor Wanyama and Steven Davis were finding it difficult to restrict Barkley receiving the ball in dangerous pockets of space and Everton ruthlessly took advantage of this just before half-time. The Toffees robbed Saints of possession on the halfway line as Lukaku played the ball to Barkley before the young Englishman slipped the Belgian through on goal and he made no mistake as he slotted the ball past Stekelenburg.

Tadić did not re-emerge for the second half as he made way for Saints’ new midfield man, Oriol Romeu, resulting in Long switching wings, Mané going out to the right and Steven Davis moving forward to support Pellè. This seemed to pay dividends initially; Southampton were threatening in the opening ten minutes of the half with a series of corners as they sought a way back into the game. Though as the half wore on, Saints looked short of answers to Everton’s stubborn resistance. As Saints players received the ball deep, they would immediately attempt to find the head of Pellè but this was repeatedly to no avail – Soares was particularly reluctant to pass short or to run down the line. Rodriguez replaced Long however the England international could not pierce the Everton backline and in the final ten minutes, Everton completed the scoring. Seamus Coleman found space on the right side of the box to roll the ball to Barkley fifteen yards from goal on the left side and he moved inside before curling it into the far corner. Cue the exodus from the home fans as Southampton’s disappointing afternoon came to a close while Everton fans began their long journey back to Merseyside after witnessing an astute counter attacking display from their side. Ronald Koeman will have been worried by Saints’ inability to vary their attacking play to carve open opportunities.

Man of the Match

Romelu Lukaku - The young Belgian was a real threat as he constantly occupied José Fonte and Maya Yoshida with his pace and power. He seems to be fulfilling his potential and showed his maturity with two cool finishes to put Everton in control.

Teams and Ratings

Southampton

Stekelenburg 6 – Soares 5, Fonte (C) 6, Yoshida 6, Targett 5 – S. Davis 6 (Ward-Prowse 79' N/A), Wanyama 5 – Tadić 4 (Romeu 45' 6), Mané 6, Long 6 (Rodriguez 72' 5) – Pellè 6

Bookings: Targett, Pellè, Romeu, S. Davis

Everton

Howard 6 – Coleman 6, Stones 8, Jagielka (C) 7, Galloway 7 (Browning 89' N/A) – McCarthy 6, Barry 7 – Koné 7 (Naismith 80' N/A), Barkley 7, Cleverley 6 – Lukaku 8 (Delofeu 89' N/A)

Bookings: Barkley, McCarthy

Goals: Lukaku (22', 45'), Barkley (84')

PREVIEW: Southampton v Everton

Unavailable:  Southampton –     Forster, Gardos, Caulker, Bertrand, Clasie

Everton –        Baines, Hibbert, Gibson, Pienaar, McGeady & Mirallas (doubtful)

Roberto Martinez is a man who is rarely flustered however the John Stones transfer saga has clearly affected his habitual confident façade. His mood will not be improved by the prospect of a trip to the south coast for this Saturday’s early kick-off. St Mary’s is not a happy hunting ground for the Toffees, and Southampton will be keen to get their teeth into their opponents in search of their first Premier League win of the season.

Everton were not firing on all cylinders in their first match as Watford made an impressive start to their first campaign back in the big time. Their counter attacking play tested Martinez’s men while the Toffees could not translate their supremacy in possession into goals. They will be faced with a different challenge this Saturday – Saints enjoy holding onto the ball and will attempt to force the issue with Matt Targett and Cédric Soares bombing forward from the full-back positions. Southampton’s width is a threat that Martinez will want to thwart. In their last two visits to St Mary’s, Everton have conceded five goals – all of them have been from crosses or corners; and three have been scored by their own players. They have even more reason to be wary as Saints struck twice in the air last week. Graziano Pellè is the obvious aerial menace for Everton yet Jay Rodriguez and Shane Long also look dangerous coming in at the back post – particularly the latter who possesses incredible spring in his arsenal. Saints’ impressive wing play could well make the difference once more on Saturday.

Key Battles

Tadić v Galloway: After an injury-hit few months at the end of last season, Dušan Tadić has stated that he is back to his best and means to demonstrate that his initial scintillating form for the club was not a flash in the pan. Yet, he is currently playing in his weakest position down the right side of the attacking midfield trio due to Rodriguez’s return to action and Koeman deciding to slot Sadio Mané centrally in behind Pellè. While this undoubtedly amplifies Mané’s contribution to the team, Tadić is often nullified on the right and has less of an impression on games. While he has already notched up a goal and an assist this season, there have been large parts of games where he has not looked as threatening as he is when playing on the left or in the No. 10 position. This Saturday, he has a real chance to exhibit his attacking prowess as Leighton Baines will once again be unavailable through injury. While young Brendan Galloway has impressed in his first few games, if Tadić can get the better of him in the early part of the game, the Zimbabwe born left-back could be overawed, giving Saints’ number eleven the chance to test Everton’s aerial abilities.

Wanyama v Barkley: It is undoubted that Victor Wanyama has impressed in the early part of the season. He has greatly matured since his arrival on the south coast and the shield he offered to the centre-backs last season was particularly noticeable when the Kenyan was absent. This Saturday, he will most likely be man-marking the highly rated Ross Barkley. If Barkley manages to prevail against Wanyama then he may well be likely to supply chances for Romelu Lukaku or score a long-range goal as he did last weekend – a speciality of his. Yet, Wanyama will want to impress, particularly after the addition of fellow defensive midfielder Oriol Romeu this week.

Possible Line-ups

Southampton: Stekelenburg - Soares, Fonte (C), Yoshida, Targett - S. Davis, Wanyama - Tadić, Mané, Rodriguez - Pellè

Gazzaniga, Long, Romeu, Martina, Ward-Prowse, Juanmi, McCarthy

Everton: Howard - Coleman, Stones, Jagielka (C), Galloway - McCarthy, Barry - Naismith, Barkley, Cleverley - Lukaku

Robles, Oviedo, Koné, Mirallas, Bešić, Delofeu, Osman           

                                                                                                                         

Merci Morgan

As Southampton wave goodbye to Morgan Schneiderlin, not only have they lost a player who has extraordinary ability but also, a man who has witnessed a sporting turnaround so remarkable that many pundits have run out of superlatives to describe it. Cast your minds back to the summer of 2008. The much maligned Rupert Lowe had just walked back through the door along with Michael Wilde in order to steady the ship (excuse the nautical pun). Lowe gave new manager Jan Poortvliet a shoestring budget however he allowed him one luxury – an 18 year old central midfielder from Strasbourg for £1.2 million. Always keen on developing young talent, Lowe apparently saw off competition from bitter rivals Portsmouth to secure the signing of the youngster in spite of the large price tag. Moreover, Schneiderlin displayed immediate flashes of talent in Claus Lundekvam’s testimonial against Celtic as he would drop deep to pick the ball off the centre-backs before spraying passes to either wing as Poortvliet attempted to implement total football at St Mary’s.

Yet Schneiderlin struggled to make his mark in a young team who were out of their depth as they received a harsh lesson in the Championship. He clocked up 30 appearances that season however he clearly found it difficult to compete against seasoned second-tier midfield generals. He was a young man living abroad for the first time and playing for a club that was in utter turmoil and matters came to an inevitable head at the end of that season as Saints were relegated and went into administration but Schneiderlin remained while others departed. It was at this point that Markus Liebherr purchased the club and Alan Pardew entered the fray. The new man in the hotseat immediately recognised Schneiderlin’s abilities which also became more evident for fans; some of whom believed that the jury was still out on whether the Frenchman was worthy of the price paid for him. In one interview, the Strasbourgeois stated that he had come to terms with the gritty element of the league in picking up several ‘professional’ bookings however he was criticised by Pardew for his lack of discipline in a season where he was twice given his marching orders. Yet, Schneiderlin obviously grew as a man and a player that season, encapsulated by his first goal for the club – a thunderous half-volley away at Bristol Rovers that was still rising when it smashed into the roof of the net. In the following season, more was expected from Schneiderlin and he duly delivered; establishing himself in a formidable spine including Kelvin Davis, Jose Fonte, Dean Hammond and Rickie Lambert. He, like the rest of the team installed a winning mentality at the club as they secured promotion before embarking on an incredible run in the Championship in the following season. It was in this season that Schneiderlin began to build a relationship with Jack Cork. The two of them provided valuable cover for the centre-backs while also becoming the starting point for an exciting attacking line up which fired Saints up to the Premier League at the first time of asking.

In the Frenchman’s first season in the big time, he excelled to the point where statisticians noted that he was the best ball winning midfielder in the league. This impressive feat only increased his claims for international recognition as he notched up five goals. After an arduous start to life back in the top tier, under Mauricio Pochettino’s guidance, Schneiderlin was one of the main players who had turned the club’s season around, and as a result, picked up the Fans’ Player of the Season gong. In the summer of 2013, Saints pulled off a coup in signing Victor Wanyama who threatened to steal the limelight however the two defensively minded players complimented each other perfectly. While Wanyama shielded Jose Fonte and Dejan Lovren with impressive strength and positioning, Schneiderlin had more license to display his range of passing as Messrs Lallana, Rodriguez and Lambert reaped the benefits propelling Saints into the top ten. What followed was well documented. Media outlets and pundits alike branded it as a “meltdown”. In the space of a month, Saints lost their manager and five vital players. The club decided that the exodus had to end there as they drew a line in the sand amidst reports that Schneiderlin and Rodriguez were heading to White Hart Lane. Off the back of representing his country for the first time at a World Cup, the Frenchman lambasted the club on Twitter however he came round – rumoured to have been asked by Saints to spend one more year at St Mary’s at which point he would be allowed to depart. In his final season, Saints’ number four managed to surpass his previous form once more. Despite niggling injuries, Schneiderlin remained a pivotal part of a Saints team that agitated the big boys until the last before discovering that they would qualify for the Europa League after Arsenal’s FA Cup triumph.

Finally, it was Manchester United who met Saints’ demands – after it seemed Schneiderlin’s most likely destination would be North London. He will go with the club’s blessing unlike others who have left before him. Not only does it represent a sensational profit on the teenager they signed seven years ago, he is also a nostalgic embodiment of the extraordinary progress that Saints have made in his time at the club. How he will progress further in a very competitive atmosphere is another matter however under the tutorship of Louis Van Gaal and new midfield maestro Bastian Schweinsteiger, Schneiderlin now has the opportunity to cement his place in France’s starting line-up.