After an 11 year stay in England’s top-flight, Southampton were relegated back to the Championship ahead of the 2023/24 campaign.
Stadium: St Mary’s Stadium
Capacity: 32,384
Year Formed: 1885
Nickname: The Saints
Most League Appearance: Terry Paine - 815
Most Goals: Mick Channon - 228
Record League Win: 11-0 v Watford – 13 December 1902
Record League Defeat: 0-9 v Leicester City – 25 October 2019
Last Five Years
2022/23: 20th in Premier League – 25 points
2021/22: 15th in Premier League – 40 points
2020/21: 15th in Premier League – 43 points
2019/20: 11th in Premier League – 52 points
2018/19: 16th in Premier League – 39 points
Manager – Russell Martin
Before entering management in 2019, Russell Martin earned 29 caps for Scotland in a 15-year playing career which saw the former defender most famously represent the likes of Wycombe Wanderers, Peterborough United and Norwich City.
Martin has five promotions as a player to his name, having been promoted to the Premier League with Norwich City twice, promotions out of League One with both Norwich and Peterborough, as well as a third-place promotion from League Two with MK Dons.
After the departure of Paul Tisdale at MK Dons, Martin was appointed caretaker manager before being named as the club’s permanent boss in November 2019. Martin led the Buckinghamshire side to a 19th-place finish in his first campaign, before finishing 13th last season.
Martin took over Swansea and brought a new style of play which saw him win over the Swans supporters, securing a 15th place finish and a 10th place finish in his two seasons in charge, before departing for Southampton.
Connections:
Notable names to have connections between the two clubs through playing are Leon Best, Jordan Turnbull, Adam Armstrong, Jack Stephens, Paul Telfer and Gordon Strachan.
Head-to-Head Record
Sky Blues wins - 49
Draws - 45
Southampton wins - 48
Last Time We Met – Southampton 2-1 Sky Blues – February 2022
Viktor Gyokeres had opened the scoring for the Sky Blues following a neat one-two with Ben Sheaf.
But Stuart Armstrong equalised with a tremendous curling strike before Walker-Peters' tidy finish.
Martyn Waghorn thought he had sent the tie to penalties in the dying stages of extra time, but the visitors' celebrations were cut short by an offside flag.
Sky Blues XI: Simon Moore (GK), Jake Clarke-Salter, Michael Rose, Callum O'Hare (Jodi Jones 89’), Ben Sheaf, Dom Hyam (C), Viktor Gyökeres, Ian Maatsen (Jordan Shipley 64’), Jake Bidwell (Todd Kane 73’), Josh Eccles (Martyn Waghorn 73’), Gustavo Hamer (Jamie Allen 73’).
Unused Subs: Ben Wilson (GK), Kyle McFadzean, Fabio Tavares, Ryan Howley.