After a triumphant 4-0 win over Walsall in the FA Cup last weekend, Southampton return to Championship action as they welcome a rejuvenated Sheffield Wednesday to St Mary’s on Saturday.
Russell Martin will have been very happy with the performance of a number of fringe players as he rotated his side heavily for the cup win over Walsall, however it is expected the team will look very different this weekend.
Ryan Fraser was the standout performer, scoring twice and assisting another as he showed he should be the man to fill the left-wing void left by the injury to in-form Sam Edozie.
Southampton will be determined to extend their current unbeaten run to 20 games in all competitions to keep pace with Ipswich Town and Leicester City in the automatic promotion spots. Sheffield Wednesday currently sit 22nd in the Championship, but Southampton will not expect an easy game given that Wednesday have won three of their last five in the league and are fresh off the back of a 4-0 FA Cup win of their own over Cardiff City in their last game.
The game will see a reunion with Danny Rohl, who was a coach at Southampton during Ralph Hasenhuttl’s tenure. Having been given the job in October, Rohl will be the main man in the dugout for Sheffield Wednesday and his appointment made the German the youngest manager in the English Football League at just 34.
What team will Southampton start against Sheffield Wednesday?
Summer signing Joe Lumley was impressive in his Southampton debut against Walsall last weekend, but first-choice Gavin Bazunu will return in goal for the return of Championship action.
Ahead of him, it is likely to be a back four of Kyle Walker-Peters, Taylor Harwood-Bellis, Jan Bednarek and Ryan Manning. The only real decision for Martin to make regarding the back four is whether captain Jack Stephens should start after completing his first 90 minutes since the injury he sustained in August last weekend.
Manning will start at left-back with James Bree still out injured; although 17-year-old Jayden Meghoma took his cup opportunity to show he can be a part of Martin’s plans moving forward.
In midfield, Flynn Downes was rested last week as he looks to overcome his illness woes, with Shea Charles deputising well. Stuart Armstrong has been one of Southampton’s most reliable performers this season and will also return to the side but, with Joe Aribo away at the African Cup of Nations, there is a midfield spot up for grabs.
The candidates are Charles, Will Smallbone and Carlos Alcaraz. Alcaraz was very good against Walsall last week, as well as being the Saints’ best player against Plymouth Argyle in the last league game of 2023. However, with Stuart Armstrong responsible for providing a lot of the attacking impetus, the midfield may have an unbalanced feel to it with the equally attacking Alcaraz also included. Therefore, expect Charles or Smallbone to start, with Charles the more likely.
Fraser completed his first 90 minutes for the club last weekend and, given the lack of alternatives available, should start on the left of the front three. Southampton’s top goalscorer with 13, Adam Armstrong will continue to operate from a wide right starting position, leaving the striker position available.
This is perhaps Martin’s toughest decision ahead of Saturday’s game. Sékou Mara has impressed in recent cameos and took his starting chance against Walsall by scoring with a neat swivel and powerful strike. Che Adams may just get the nod though, with Martin admitting he was wrong not to start the Scotland international against Norwich.
Southampton are expecting interest in Adams – his contract expiring in the summer meaning he will not cost much this window – but for now he is available to Martin and the Saints boss is happy to use the man with seven goals in all competitions whilst he still can.
With the side expected to have a much more normal feel to it than the 11 that started in the cup, here is how we predict Southampton will line up for the visit of Sheffield Wednesday on Saturday:
(4-3-3): Bazunu; Walker-Peters, Harwood-Bellis, Bednarek, Manning; Downes, Charles, S. Armstrong; A. Armstrong, Adams, Fraser