Making The Grade: Match Day 1, Southampton vs. Watford

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SOUTHAMPTON, ENGLAND – AUGUST 13: Troy Deeney of Watford puts Fraser Forster of Southampton under pressure during the Premier League match between Southampton and Watford at St Mary’s Stadium on August 13, 2016 in Southampton, England. (Photo by Mike Hewitt/Getty Images) /

Keepers

In his first outing since inherting the Number 1 kit from retiring Southampton legend Kelvin Davis, netminder Fraser Forster acquitted himself well but perhaps proved why keepers are known as a superstitious bunch. In his first six outings back from injury last year, wearing the alliterative number 44, Forster notched six consecutive clean-sheets. This time out, albeit through no fault of his own, he let one in under 10 minutes. All told though, Forster acquitted himself well, limiting mistakes to a few bobbles that were swiftly recovered and distributing well from the back.

Though he wasn’t tested as much as he surely will be in the upcoming match at Old Trafford, the towering Forster made most of the shots that came his way look easy. Next week will be the real test though, as a 10-man Watford hardly counts as a representative sample.

Grade: 7.5/10