Southampton travel to Swansea City on Saturday as they look to break a club record by going 20 league games unbeaten.
The two clubs only met on Boxing Day in the reverse fixture, when Russell Martin oversaw a 5-0 win for his side.
Despite the fact both sides have only played four games since that one-sided affair, it is a game that Southampton will be wary of. Since that game, Swansea have won two and drawn two and now have a new manager in the hot seat in the form of Luke Williams.
To add to the narrative of the game, this is Williams’ first home game in charge after making the move from Notts County and was Martin’s assistant when he was in charge of Swansea too.
After another impressive 4-0 win against Sheffield Wednesday last time out, Southampton will be confident, but fans expecting a similar game to the one they saw against Swansea on Boxing Day may be in for a slightly less comfortable afternoon.
What team will Russell Martin select against Swansea?
Given the fact that Southampton are in such great form and they have had a full week to prepare for this game, it would be a surprise if Martin looks to change much this weekend.
However, when Swansea came to St Mary’s on Boxing Day, Martin sprung a surprise by playing captain Jack Stephens at right-back and pushing Kyle Walker-Peters further forward to play as a right winger given concerns from Martin around the familiarity of his former side with his tactics.
Walker-Peters excelled further forward, but expect to see the 26-year-old linked with a big move this month slot in to his more natural right-back role.
Gavin Bazunu is the undisputed first choice goalkeeper at the club, despite Joe Lumley impressing on his debut in the FA Cup. In front of him, the back four should consist of Walker-Peters, Taylor Harwood-Bellis, Jan Bednarek and Ryan Manning. With Mason Holgate potentially returning to parent club Everton before heading out on loan elsewhere and James Bree still injured, Jack Stephens is the only player who could come into that back four in the near future.
Flynn Downes has built up his fitness again after another bout of illness over the festive period and will play at the base of the midfield. With the ever-impressive Stuart Armstrong effectively guaranteed to take up the more attacking role in the midfield three, even with the competition of the talented Carlos Alcaraz.
The third midfield role will be providing Martin with a selection dilemma. Will Smallbone played there last week and arguably has the shirt, at least while Joe Aribo is on international duty with Nigeria at the African Cup of Nations. Shea Charles has played in the number ‘8’ role at times but is viewed more so as cover for Downes, but the arrival of Joe Rothwell on loan from Bournemouth this week means competition is hotting up in midfield.
Martin himself has said he sees Rothwell as more of an option in the centre midfield position than as the holding player, citing his ability to carry the ball as one of the reasons the club wanted to bring him in, saying: “He (Rothwell) was our number one choice in that position because one of the biggest parts of his game is picking the ball up and driving and taking the team forward.”
Martin confirmed on Friday that Rothwell will go straight into the squad, but has said the on loan man will have a busy couple of weeks where his manager will “fry his brain” as he gets up to speed with the demands of his system. On that basis, Smallbone will likely get the nod for this weekend.
The front three almost picks itself at this point. Adam Armstrong has scored 14 goals and registered 11 assists in a remarkable turnaround in his Saints career and will start on the right. With Sam Edozie out until February and Kamaldeen Sulemana still injured, Ryan Fraser will start on the left. The Scottish winger has this week expressed his desire to stay at the club long-term and spoke at length about how much he is loving life at Southampton.
Up front, Southampton have a nice problem currently. Che Adams has come into form and is on four goals in his last five games in all competitions and will lead the line again against Swansea despite his uncertain future; Southampton reportedly naming their price for the striker with six months left on his contract. Whilst Adams will start, Sékou Mara is turning up the heat on the man in front of him with a number of impressive cameos off the bench scored in each of his last two games.
With all of these considerations in mind, here is how we predict Southampton will line up against Swansea on Saturday:
(4-3-3): Bazunu; Walker-Peters, Harwood-Bellis, Bednarek, Manning; Downes, Smallbone, S. Armstrong; A. Armstrong, Adams, Fraser