Saints Marching
Fansided

West Ham vs. Southampton: Saints look to move out of drop zone in crunch match

By Daniel Hargraves

STOKE ON TRENT, ENGLAND - JANUARY 01: Mark Hughes, Manager of Stoke City looks on after the Premier League match between Stoke City and Newcastle United at Bet365 Stadium on January 1, 2018 in Stoke on Trent, England. (Photo by Stu Forster/Getty Images)
STOKE ON TRENT, ENGLAND - JANUARY 01: Mark Hughes, Manager of Stoke City looks on after the Premier League match between Stoke City and Newcastle United at Bet365 Stadium on January 1, 2018 in Stoke on Trent, England. (Photo by Stu Forster/Getty Images) /
facebooktwitterreddit

On Saturday afternoon, Southampton return to Premier League action after a three week absence from the league and two weeks since their last match – a 2-0 win at Wigan in the FA Cup with a trip to London to face West Ham in a crucial match in the fight for survival. 

Both sides aren’t in comfortable positions, with West Ham 17th and only two points ahead of 18th placed Southampton. A win for the Irons would most likely steer them clear of the fight against the drop however they’d take the visitors’ place in the relegation zone with defeat.

What may prove vital for both sides is the game in hand that both teams have to their name – nearby competitors Huddersfield and Crystal Palace both have an extra game played so a win on Saturday and a result in their extra game could prove pivotal for fighting the drop.

This will be new manager Mark Hughes’ first league game in charge of Saints and of course the Welshman’s first game couldn’t have gone much better as they won away and kept a clean sheet, albeit against a third-tier side, which booked their place at Wembley for an FA Cup semi-final.

Hopefully the new gaffer can bring more of a bounce and an international break would’ve allowed some of the non-internationals to get to know the new man in charge and his tactics better.

Saints also have the chance to do the double over the Irons after a 3-2 win at St.Mary’s early on in the season where two penalties secured Southampton their first of only five league wins so far this season.

WIGAN, ENGLAND – MARCH 18: Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg of Southampton (L) celebrates as he scores their first goal with Dusan Tadic and Ryan Bertrand during The Emirates FA Cup Quarter Final match between Wigan Athletic and Southampton at DW Stadium on March 18, 2018 in Wigan, England. (Photo by Alex Livesey/Getty Images)
WIGAN, ENGLAND – MARCH 18: Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg of Southampton (L) celebrates as he scores their first goal with Dusan Tadic and Ryan Bertrand during The Emirates FA Cup Quarter Final match between Wigan Athletic and Southampton at DW Stadium on March 18, 2018 in Wigan, England. (Photo by Alex Livesey/Getty Images) /

WHY SOUTHAMPTON WILL WIN

As visitors, the players won’t feel too much of the hostility that is surely going to be present on Saturday afternoon being directed at them.

Following rumbling discontent among the West Ham fanbase, supporters invaded the pitch and protested in the stands during a 3-0 home defeat to Burnley last time out. Security measures have been increased but if Southampton score the first goal the home crowd will certainly become uneasy.

We also have an advantage with the bounce that usually comes from having a new man in charge coming in midway through the season. Mark Hughes started his time as Southampton manager well with a crucial win and brilliant second-half performance and he now needs to get the players motivated to win another season-defining game away at West Ham on Saturday.

We have had a handful of internationals away for a week with Mario Lemina having to travel all the way to Thailand with Gabon and Sofiane Boufal travelling with Morocco. However, we’re now used to have several players away and they shouldn’t be too affected by the travelling which is positive.

More from Saints Marching

With the potential re-introduction of Charlie Austin too, it seems that everything is going in our favor for the game and it would be devastating to lose on Saturday as it would make survival incredibly difficult with upcoming league games with Arsenal, Chelsea and Leicester following Saturday.

WHY WEST HAM WILL WIN

West Ham need the points badly as well as Southampton but will be under plenty of pressure from their supporters. After the grotesque scenes during the Burnley match, the West Ham players will surely fell as if they’ll need to perform to win back some of the fanbase. Of course, the discontent is mainly aimed at the board of West Ham and a loss on Saturday would only make this worse.

The Hammers have some decent players in their squad with Antonio looking in better form and of course Javier Hernandez has loved a goal or two against Southampton in the past whether it be with Manchester United or West Ham earlier in the season.

The experienced David Moyes will understand the importance of this game and, even though his contract is short-term, there’ll surely be a bonus for survival which the Scot will inevitably want to receive.

West Ham’s non-internationals have also enjoyed a bonding trip out in Miami over the international break which, reportedly, has brought the players closer together for the crucial remaining games.

A win will most likely propel West Ham up the table and even a draw would be satisfactory with a game in hand on teams around them and it’d keep them two points clear of safety.

PREDICTED LINE-UPS

Southampton:

Goalkeeper: McCarthy

Defenders: Cedric, Stephens, Hoedt, Bertrand

Midfielders: Lemina, Hojbjerg, Tadic, Boufal

Strikers: Gabbiadini, Carrillo

West Ham:

Goalkeeper: Hart

Defenders: Zabaleta, Ogbonna, Collins, Cresswell

Midfielders: Kouyate, Noble, Joao Mario, Antonio, Arnautovic

Striker: Hernandez

Prediction: West Ham 1-3 Southampton