A closer look at what to expect from our next Sky Bet Championship opponents
- Huddersfield Town vs Southampton
- Saturday 25 November, 3pm kick-off
- Full preview of Southampton
Having first crossed paths in November 1952, this will be the 30th meeting between Town and Southampton, with the two not facing each other since an FA Cup tie in 2020.
The south coast side boast 13 wins over Town all-time compared to our 11, with the teams drawing on five occasions too. On a good run against the Terriers, we haven’t got the better of the Saints since October 2010 with that victory coming here at the John Smith’s Stadium, with Anthony Pilkington and Joey Gudjónsson scoring in a 2-0 win in Sky Bet League One.
THE OPPOSITION
Their first season back in the Sky Bet Championship since gaining automatic promotion at the end of the 2011/12 campaign, Southampton have enjoyed 11 years in the Premier League before suffering relegation.
Hitting the ground running this season, Saints have already amassed more points this season than they managed in the entirety of their last. With a new coaching team installed in the summer, the squad was majorly overhauled, too. Releasing 14, loaning out 19 and selling a further 11, they have made seven permanent signings and brought in a further four on loan to offset the 44 who went in the other direction.
Fourth placed in the Sky Bet Championship at present, they sit nine points shy of the automatic promotion places with a record of nine wins, three draws and four losses in 16 fixtures so far.
THEIR MANAGER
Making the move from South Wales to the South Coast, Russell Martin has had a rapid rise within coaching since taking the reigns at Milton Keynes in 2019. Spending two years with the side he ended his playing career with, Swansea City came calling in 2021 and after another two seasons, Martin finds himself in charge at St. Mary’s.
With a settled playing ideology, Martin’s team like to control possession and press without the ball, and he has previously sighted Pep Guardiola as an influence on his coaching in the past. Winning 76 of the 196 games he’s overseen in his coaching career, he’s lost 74 times and drawn 46, with his sides scoring 284 goals and conceding 289 in that time.
LAST TIME OUT
Southampton went into the international break on a high, seeing off West Brom 2-1 at home with a goal in each half from Will Smallbone and Adam Armstrong giving them their eighth game without defeat.
Having lost four on the bounce before this run, Saints showed their newfound confidence by bouncing back from the West Brom equaliser. Enjoying 53% of the ball on the day, they only had 14 efforts on goal compared to their visitors 33, underlining their cutting edge and decisiveness in the final third.
FORMATION
Having been a staunch proponent of three man defensive shapes at the start of his coaching career, Martin hasn’t strayed from a four man defence since joining the Saints, having made the tactical switch in his final months with Swansea City.
Now shifting to a 4-3-3, he has deviated from that system on three occasions this season where a 4-4-2 has been preferred. A much more attacking shape, Southampton’s 26 goals conceded this season are more than anyone else in the top 10 in the division, but their 27 scored still gives them a positive goal difference.
A team who build slow in deeper positions before looking for balls through to break lines in the final third, Southampton will commit bodies forward and press aggressively when without the ball as they look to act quickly on any turnovers of possession.
WHO TO WATCH
Kyle Walker-Peters
Signed from Tottenham Hotspur, the Spurs youth product has flown since making the move to Southampton in 2020, initially signing for the club on loan before making the move permanent shortly after.
With appearances for England at under age categories, including a 2017 FIFA World U20 World Cup win, Walker-Peters has earned two senior caps for his country to date, playing twice for Gareth Southgate in 2022. An attacking full-back, he in effective with both feet and blessed with natural pace, allowing him to create overlaps and overloads in the final third while remaining effective when required defensively.
Will Smallbone
Republic of Ireland international Smallbone has been with Southampton for his entire career, departing on loan just once to Stoke City across the 2022/23 season.
A metronomic central midfielder, he is comfortable on the ball and has an impressive passing range, which feeds in perfectly with how Southampton want to play in possession. Happy to make a tackle, too, Smallbone is able to drop when required and give his team more bodies at the back. His debut for Saints actually came against Town in that Emirates FA Cup tie in 2020, with his Premier League debut arriving a month later.
Adam Armstrong
26-year-old Armstrong has an impressive record in front of goal in the Sky Bet Championship and below, but did score four times in the Premier League for Southampton across two seasons too. Coming through at his hometown Newcastle United, a successful time on loan with Coventry City kickstarted his career before further stints out with Barnsley, Bolton Wanderers and Blackburn Rovers didn’t persuade the Magpies to keep hold, and he rejoined Rovers permanently in 2018.
After three successful years at Ewood Park, then Premier League side Southampton came calling, but it is only this season he’s hit a run of scoring form with nine goals and three assists in 16 games so far. Wearing the captain’s armband, too, Armstrong is a dangerous operator at this level.
TOWN TEAM NEWS
Town Manager Darren Moore will be speaking to the local media on Friday 24 November 2023 from the Millers Oils High Performance Complex, with his press conference to be broadcast live on HTTV and social media as usual.
Supporters will also be able to watch the conference back in full via YouTube or listen via HTAFC Sounds on Spotify and Apple Music shortly after the conference has concluded.
KIT
Back home in HD1, the Terriers will be in blue and white this weekend!
Available at our Club Shop at the John Smith’s Stadium, online via shop.htafc.com and at our retail kiosk in the Fan Zone on match day, there’s no shortage of ways to make one your own.
CLICK HERE to shop now.
TICKET NEWS
Supporters can still join us in all four stands at the John Smith’s Stadium.
With our ticket offer within the Big Red Stand Lower Tier giving supporters incredible value to sit as close to the action as possible, space also remains within our Core Stand, Chadwick Lawrence Stand and Magic Rock South Stand.
Available in person at our Ticket Office at the John Smith’s Stadium, you can also book online straight away by CLICKING HERE.
iFOLLOW HTAFC
Due to the traditional Saturday 3pm kick-off time, video match passes for this fixture will not be available in the United Kingdom, but will be purchasable abroad.
Supporters who still want to follow every second of the game can purchase an audio match pass and not miss a second of the game!
CLICK HERE to find out more.
