Tom Fellows has routinely stepped up against Bristol City. Let's see if Will Still is wise enough to entrust him into today's Southampton lineup.
Southampton have gotten the best of Championship's surprise package Wrexham, and a near-Premier League promoted Sheffield United. Thus, it would be some flex amidst the storm if Saints added another 2024/25 playoff reaching team as the above two in Bristol City, as a third three-pointer night.
Set the previous campaign aside for both Southampton and Bristol, then tonight was building up as a Derby County or a Watford-esque tricky task. Both were away days as the fast approaching kickoff, and Southampton sized out the lead well but were thrown a comeback hardball, too unexpected and too tough to handle.
To make those annoying Derby and Watford days look like evenings from the past, Southampton need to clinch this Bristol City showdown. And before perfecting the trip, Will Still needs to let the playing eleven outsmart their Bristol counterparts.
Holding this notion in mind, below is an expected Southampton lineup that can set the statement on Saints paddling the winning wheel in motion.
Saints must look out for another of Tom Fellows' Bristol City heroics
GK: Alex McCarthy - Has gone three Championship halves without conceding a goal. Expect him to add two more halves to this growing streak.
CB: Nathan Wood - Entire Southampton comeback has been top-drawer and if not for a bundle of draws, would be getting floated in the league's top 5 centre-back discussions.
CB: Ronnie Edwards - Has matured much from the Wrexham error. And a risk-free Bristol outing can earn him more centre-back favours over Taylor Harwood-Bellis for the time being.
CB: Joshua Quarshie - I understand, Harwood-Bellis didn't play culprit on the weekend but Quarshie gels in brilliantly with the Wood and Edwards pairing.
LWB: Ryan Manning - Looking at Welington this season is pretty much Wood from the preceding year, and Saints will retain confidence in the Brazilian to upgrade as a mainstay fixture from New Year 2026. But right now, Manning should get the license.
CM: Shea Charles - Tidies the midfield for Caspar Jander to operate, and a calm finish as the Liverpool one will be appreciated in front of Bristol.
CM: Caspar Jander - Damion Downs is paying the fine for going clumsy on easy goals, and Jander must better not imitate the United States man.
RWB: Elias Jelert - Bristol City are no resistant to huge thrashings unlike Swansea, thus Still can't be at peace with either Jelert or Roerslev. Still the nod must be for Jelert, who is a more common presence among the duo nowadays.
LW: Léo Scienza - Scienza's right foot has an elite curling ability as Ryan Manning. Would be nice to watch who commands the set-piece responsibilities, hopefully we get a ton of them today.
ST: Adam Armstrong - Southampton will trail Bristol City both today and tomorrow, however, Armstrong's fluid finishing can decide what will be the margin.
RW: Tom Fellows - Why him? Well, Fellows has aced both Bristol City matchups as a certified starter, and hence, Will Still must treat Fellows as a third-time game changer with the home side in opposition.