Southampton will be looking to bounce back in the Championship promotion race on Saturday afternoon.
The Saints will host Millwall at St Mary’s, looking to respond to a 2-1 loss to Hull City on Tuesday night.
It has been a tough campaign for their opponents. They are currently 21st in the Championship table, just a point clear of the relegation zone.
That has seen them change manager this week. Joe Edwards has been sacked, with Neil Harris returning to the club he previously managed between 2015 and 2019.
Now it seems as though that change, is not one that Southampton boss Russell Martin was necessarily expecting to see this season.
Russell Martin ‘pleased’ for Neil Harris
While Harris left a role with League One side Cambridge United to return to Millwall, neither are the first club he has managed this season.
The 46-year previously started the campaign in charge of a League Two side in the form of Gillingham.
While he was in charge of the Gills, Harris stunned Southampton in the first round of this season’s League Cup.
The Saints were beaten 3-1 at Priestfield in that game. However, Martin is confident things have changed in his side since then.
Giving his reaction to Harris’ return to Millwall ahead of their clash with Southampton, the Saints boss was quoted by Daily Echo journalist Alfie House as saying: “I was hoping to never think of the Gillingham game again but now you’ve reminded me. It sums up how crazy football is. Our team is completely different now. I am really pleased for Neil.”
Southampton must still be eyeing win over Millwall
Regardless of who is in charge of Millwall, Martin’s side simply must be eyeing a win here.
Following that defeat to Hull City, and with Leeds United bebeating Leicester City on Friday, anything less than three points here could cut Southampton adrift in the automatic promotion race.
Given how strong a position they were in little more than a week ago, that is a situation they surely can’t allow to develop.
There is too much at stake when it comes to a return to the Premier League, for them to allow that to happen.
Indeed, even with that managerial change, Millwall still come into this game in poor form. Their own position means that is something Southampton must be taking advantage, given how good they have been for the majority of the campaign.
A lot of that success has come at St Mary’s, where they are playing today, further increasing the expectation for a home win.
With that in mind, it does feel as though anything less than a win will still be disappointing for Southampton on Saturday afternoon.