SCR Altach vs Southampton, 2019/20 Pre-season: Preview

Southampton kick-off in their first pre-season friendly at 2pm on Sunday and meet Austrian Bundesliga side SCR Altach.

Most of the 26-man Saints squad that Ralph Hasenhuttl has taken to his homeland will get important minutes under their belt and some match fitness in the process.

Just under a month remains until they begin their 2019/20 Premier League campaign with a trip to Burnley.

Their opponents in SCR Altach begin their domestic season just six days after this game and will be boosted by running West Ham close in a friendly on Thursday.

With their schedule ahead of Saints’, they could well be the perfect test for the visitors tomorrow.

Main talking points

Saints have made two signings so far this summer with the additions of Moussa Djenepo and Che Adams from Standard Liege and Birmingham City respectively.

With Djenepo currently away from his new teammates after playing for Mali at the Africa Cup of Nations, Adams could be the first of the two to play for Saints. Tomorrow’s match will provide the important first steps of his bedding in.

Four youngsters – Christoph Klarer, Jake Vokins, Will Smallbone and Dan N’Lundulu – have also been taken to Austria by Ralph Hasenhuttl and will be wanting to put in good shows with their manager watching from the sidelines.

More from Saints Marching

• Grading the Southampton Transfer Window Part 2: Arrivals
• Grading the Southampton Transfer Window Part 1: Departures
• It’s time to talk about Gavin Bazunu
• Rain clouds on the horizon? Southampton beat Plymouth Argyle
• A lament for Southampton legend James Ward-Prowse

SCR Altach squad

Goalkeepers: Martin Kobras, Reuf Durakovic, Benjamin Ozegovic, Jakob Odehnal

Defenders: Jan Zwischenbrugger, Philipp Netzer (C), Matthias Maak, Leonardo Zottele, Emir Karic, Emanuel Schreiner, Anderson

Midfielders: Ousmane Diakite, Samuel Oum Gouet, Manfred Fischer, Lars Nussbaumer, Aljas Casar, Florian Jamnig, Matthias Puschl, Marco Meilinger, Johannes Tartarotti, Daniel Nussbaumer

Forwards: Sunday Faleye, Christian Gebauer, Mergim Berisha, Bernd Gschweidl, Brian Mwila, Frantz Pangop

Southampton travelling squad

Goalkeepers: Angus Gunn, Alex McCarthy, Fraser Forster, Harry Lewis

Defenders: Yan Valery, Cedric Soares, Maya Yoshida, Jannik Vestergaard, Jack Stephens, Jan Bednarek, Wesley Hoedt, Christoph Klarer, Ryan Bertrand, Jake Vokins

Midfielders: Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg, Oriol Romeu, James Ward-Prowse, Will Smallbone, Mohamed Elyounoussi, Josh Sims

Forwards: Nathan Redmond, Shane Long, Danny Ings, Che Adams, Michael Obafemi, Dan N’Lundulu