Saints Marching
Fansided

Southampton: Team news and predicted Saints line-up vs Sheffield United

By Marc Walker

Southampton's English striker Danny Ings (C) celebrates with Southampton's Japanese midfielder Takumi Minamino (L) and Southampton's English defender Kyle Walker-Peters (R) after scoring the opening goal of the English Premier League football match between Southampton and Wolverhampton Wanderers at St Mary's Stadium in Southampton, southern England on February 14, 2021. (Photo by Andy Rain / POOL / AFP) / RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE. No use with unauthorized audio, video, data, fixture lists, club/league logos or 'live' services. Online in-match use limited to 120 images. An additional 40 images may be used in extra time. No video emulation. Social media in-match use limited to 120 images. An additional 40 images may be used in extra time. No use in betting publications, games or single club/league/player publications. / (Photo by ANDY RAIN/POOL/AFP via Getty Images)
Southampton's English striker Danny Ings (C) celebrates with Southampton's Japanese midfielder Takumi Minamino (L) and Southampton's English defender Kyle Walker-Peters (R) after scoring the opening goal of the English Premier League football match between Southampton and Wolverhampton Wanderers at St Mary's Stadium in Southampton, southern England on February 14, 2021. (Photo by Andy Rain / POOL / AFP) / RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE. No use with unauthorized audio, video, data, fixture lists, club/league logos or 'live' services. Online in-match use limited to 120 images. An additional 40 images may be used in extra time. No video emulation. Social media in-match use limited to 120 images. An additional 40 images may be used in extra time. No use in betting publications, games or single club/league/player publications. / (Photo by ANDY RAIN/POOL/AFP via Getty Images) /
facebooktwitterreddit

Southampton head to Bramall Lane on Saturday and will be looking for a crucial win to ease any fears of being dragged fully into a relegation battle.

Saints sit 14th in the table but are now just seven points above the bottom three after collecting just one point from a possible 27.

Sheffield United’s own fight to retain their Premier League status is looking very difficult. The Blades sit 12 points away from 17th-placed Newcastle and are adrift at the bottom of the standings.

However, a vital win over Aston Villa on Wednesday evening will have given Chris Wilder and his players a huge boost ahead of facing Saints in two days’ time.

Douglas Luiz of Aston Villa closes down Ibrahima Diallo of Southampton (Photo by Robin Jones/Getty Images)
Douglas Luiz of Aston Villa closes down Ibrahima Diallo of Southampton (Photo by Robin Jones/Getty Images) /

Ahead of Saturday’s match, Saints have received a triple fitness boost that could given them that better chance of claiming a win.

In his pre-match press conference, Ralph Hasenhuttl confirmed that Ibrahima Diallo, Kyle Walker-Peters and Takumi Minamino are all set to come back into the matchday squad and provide more options all over the pitch – much-needed if Hasenhuttl and his side are to get the win they are desperately wanting.

More from Saints Marching

The Austrian also gave updates on Moussa Djenepo and Theo Walcott, with the former’s game time being managed after a history of injuries and the latter set to return to action after the international break at the end of this month.

Most importantly for Saints, they could have a full team of players playing in their natural positions. This has been problematic recently and Walker-Peters and Diallo in particular will give the team a much more rounded look.

Sheffield United are without many first-team options too and will not have any of their eight absentees returning for this weekend.

Phil Jagielka was sent off in the Blades’ last game and will join John Egan, Sander Berge, Chris Basham, Jayden Bogle, Jack Robinson, Jack O’Connell and Jack Rodwell on the sidelines.

Chris Wilder has confirmed that Basham and Bogle are making progress but both will not return before the end of this month.

Predicted Saints line-up

Fraser Forster; Kyle Walker-Peters, Jannik Vestergaard, Mohammed Salisu, Ryan Bertrand; James Ward-Prowse, Ibrahima Diallo; Stuart Armstrong, Takumi Minamino; Nathan Redmond, Danny Ings

Whilst Ibrahima Diallo is set to come straight back into the starting line-up, it remains to be seen whether Kyle Walker-Peters will be able to play a full 90 minutes.

Takumi Minamino should be brought back in to optimise creativity in attack, whilst Nathan Redmond has looked bright as a striker despite an average display as a winger last weekend.

Next. Sheff Utd vs Saints Preview: Who will claim a vital win?. dark

Home/Southampton FC News