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Southampton: Team news and predicted line-up vs Bournemouth in Cup

By Marc Walker

BOURNEMOUTH, ENGLAND - JULY 19: Jannik Vestergaard of Southampton battles for possession with in the air with Steve Cook of AFC Bournemouth during the Premier League match between AFC Bournemouth and Southampton FC at Vitality Stadium on July 19, 2020 in Bournemouth, England. Football Stadiums around Europe remain empty due to the Coronavirus Pandemic as Government social distancing laws prohibit fans inside venues resulting in all fixtures being played behind closed doors. (Photo by Mike Hewitt/Getty Images)
BOURNEMOUTH, ENGLAND - JULY 19: Jannik Vestergaard of Southampton battles for possession with in the air with Steve Cook of AFC Bournemouth during the Premier League match between AFC Bournemouth and Southampton FC at Vitality Stadium on July 19, 2020 in Bournemouth, England. Football Stadiums around Europe remain empty due to the Coronavirus Pandemic as Government social distancing laws prohibit fans inside venues resulting in all fixtures being played behind closed doors. (Photo by Mike Hewitt/Getty Images) /
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Southampton make the short trip along the South Coast to take on AFC Bournemouth in the FA Cup Quarter-Finals this weekend.

Facing the only Championship team left in this year’s competition, this game provides an ideal opportunity for Saints to advance to the last four ties at Wembley as well as build some momentum for the league run-in.

Bournemouth looked on track for a strong charge towards promotion back to the Premier League earlier this season but have fallen away. They sit just outside the Championship play-off places now having seen Jason Tindall removed as manager and Saints will be hoping their own quality wins out this weekend.

Ahead of the game, there has been some interesting team news that may have an influence on Saturday’s result.

Bournemouth’s English striker Sam Surridge (L) is tackled by Southampton’s English midfielder James Ward-Prowse (Photo by IAN WALTON/POOL/AFP via Getty Images)
Bournemouth’s English striker Sam Surridge (L) is tackled by Southampton’s English midfielder James Ward-Prowse (Photo by IAN WALTON/POOL/AFP via Getty Images) /

Southampton could be unchanged this weekend

In his pre-match press conference (via Hampshire Live’s Tom Leach), Ralph Hasenhuttl confirmed that he has no fresh injury issues ahead of an important fixture for his side.

Kyle Walker-Peters, Ibrahima Diallo and Takumi Minamino all came through the 2-1 loss to Brighton on Sunday with no problems. Walker-Peters and Diallo will be in line for further starts this time around, but Minamino is cup-tied.

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Danny Ings and Theo Walcott are set to return from respective injuries early in April and will use the international break to improve their fitness. Will Smallbone, Oriol Romeu and Michael Obafemi are all long-term absentees and have no return dates set as yet.

Bournemouth will have been boosted by their 3-0 win over Swansea on Tuesday and saw two important players in Sam Surridge and Philip Billing return last weekend against Barnsley.

Diego Rico is on track to return to action this week but David Brooks and Lewis Cook remain out. (Via BBC Radio Solent’s Kris Temple) Shane Long will be ineligible to face his parent club.

Predicted Saints line-up

Fraser Forster; Kyle Walker-Peters, Jan Bednarek, Jannik Vestergaard, Ryan Bertrand; James Ward-Prowse, Ibrahima Diallo; Stuart Armstrong, Moussa Djenepo; Nathan Tella, Che Adams

Ralph Hasenhuttl has other options to look to should he need them but there is every chance that Saints will make just one forced change (Minamino cup-tied) from their last game with this their strongest line-up at the moment.

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