Southampton face Blackburn Rovers on Saturday afternoon, after a disappointing Easter weekend double-header seriously dented the Saints’ automatic promotion hopes.
Having conceded a 90th-minute equaliser at home to Middlesbrough on Good Friday, Southampton suffered late heartbreak again just four days later as they succumbed to a 97th-minute Ipswich Town winner to lose 3-2 against the league leaders.
The defeat away at Ipswich was a painful one, particularly as Russell Martin‘s side recovered from going a goal down to lead 2-1 at half-time and were the better side for the vast majority of the clash.
Now, though, Martin must pick his players up as they head into their last eight games of the regular Championship season, starting with a long trip north to Blackburn.
Rovers are 17th in the league but have lost just one of their last four and were 5-1 victors away at Sunderland last time out. They also boast the league’s top goalscorer, with EFL Championship Player of the Season nominee Sammie Szmodics’ 23 goals league goals all the more remarkable when you consider he scored just five last season.
If Southampton are feeling sorry for themselves after last weekend then they could be in for a difficult afternoon against John Eustace’s Rovers side.
Southampton injury news ahead of Blackburn clash
Southampton are now 12 points off Leeds United in second but, with two games in hand on the top two, Martin has insisted there is still all to play for.
The Saints boss was asked in his pre-Blackburn press conference on Friday how he cuts off the outside noise and responded by saying: “In the same way we always do, we don’t listen to what is being said externally just like we didn’t when we were 25 games unbeaten.”
Martin went on to say: “I feel like we have such a good opportunity to achieve what we want to achieve still. I’m not going to allow that negativity to seep into the players and to the staff here”.
In terms of team news, James Bree will serve his one game suspension for the red card he picked up against Ipswich, whilst Stuart Armstrong will be absent from a Championship squad for the first time this season as the 32-year-old is suffering from a concussion sustained on Monday evening.
Speaking on Armstrong, Martin confirmed: “Stuey Armstrong is concussed so he will be out of tomorrow. He took a big whack to the head with Massimo Luongo.
“He wasn’t feeling great in the second half, a bit groggy. He has been assessed and we have followed the procedures.
“We hope to have him back for Tuesday but he needs to pass his tests and examinations before with the doctors.”
Meanwhile, Juan Larios and Ross Stewart remain long-term absentees.
Southampton predicted XI v Blackburn
Gavin Bazunu has started every league game this season, but the goalkeeper’s spot in the side has come under question this week with some fans calling for back-up Joe Lumley to get a chance.
It would be a real shock if Martin did drop Bazunu though, given the faith he has repeatedly shown in the 22-year-old, and the Irish stopper is likely to start again on Saturday.
Kyle Walker-Peters‘ omission from the side that faced Ipswich was a real surprise, especially since Martin insisted post-game that the decision was tactical and not to do with the full-back’s recent return from injury. With Bree now suspended, Walker-Peters should return at right-back.
The rest of the back four is up for debate. Jack Stephens started in a left-back role against Ipswich but was under clear instruction to step into central midfield areas whenever Southampton had the ball. It was a tactic that worked well, with the Saints skipper having one of his best performances of the campaign despite the defeat, however Martin may want to go a little more orthodox with his backline this weekend.
That could mean a return for left-back Ryan Manning, with the 27-year-old an unused substitute in both games last weekend. Jan Bednarek returned from international duty with a knock and was on the bench for the draw with Middlesbrough before coming back into the side on Monday.
The Poland international soldiered through against Ipswich after taking a heavy blow to his back, so that injury coupled with Stephens’ impressive display may mean we see the latter line-up alongside Taylor Harwood-Bellis in the centre of defence.
In midfield, Flynn Downes will take up his usual role at the base of the midfield and Joe Aribo will continue in one of the two spots ahead of him after another good display on Monday. With Stuart Armstrong missing this one, it represents an opportunity for one of Will Smallbone or Joe Rothwell to come into the side.
Rothwell has more similar characteristics to Armstrong than Smallbone, with his ability to drive with the ball and shoot from distance not dissimilar to the Scotland international and this may see him get the nod.
The front three is expected to be the same as that which started against Ipswich, with Ryan Fraser a real threat on Monday but running out of steam in the second half after over a month out through injury.
Che Adams missed a couple of golden opportunities against Middlesbrough but was much improved against Ipswich and scored a real poacher’s goal to level the scores at 1-1 which should see him start again.
Adam Armstrong scored his 20th goal of the season last time out and will start from the right wing position in which he has had the most joy under Martin.
With all that in mind, here is how we predict Southampton will line up for their trip to Blackburn on Saturday.
Southampton XI (4-3-3): Bazunu; Walker-Peters, Harwood-Bellis, Stephens, Manning; Downes, Aribo, Rothwell; A. Armstrong, Adams, Fraser