Out to avoid yet another chastening defeat in the month of September, Southampton welcome high-flying Ipswich Town to St Mary's for Tuesday's Championship battle.
The Saints were torn to shreds in a 4-1 home loss at the hands of Leicester City last time out, while the Tractor Boys cemented a podium place by beating Sheffield Wednesday 1-0.
Match preview
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The international hiatus ostensibly came at the perfect time for Southampton, who began September with a 5-0 embarrassment at the hands of Sunderland, which Russell Martin had a fortnight to dissect before Leicester paid a visit to the South Coast.
However, one can say that Southampton picked up where they left off before the two-week break, as Leicester - not for the first time - ran riot at St Mary's, and Jamie Vardy took just 21 seconds to begin the onslaught before Kasey McAteer doubled the visitors' advantage.
Samuel Edozie's delicate chip did reduce the arrears for Southampton, but Wilfried Ndidi and Stephy Mavididi both capitalised on dreadful defending from their hosts, who were playing in front of a half-empty stadium by the time Kamaldeen Sulemana was sent off deep into injury time.
Following their dismal 20th-placed Premier League finish last term, redemption appeared to be on the cards when Southampton took 10 points from their opening four league games, but the leaky Saints have now been demoted to ninth spot on account of shipping a worrying nine goals in their last two contests.
In fact, a total of 16 goals conceded so far this season represents the worst defensive record in the Championship, and the Southampton faithful - who are yet to witness their side keep a clean sheet this season - may not be holding out hope of a dramatic upturn in fortunes here.
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In contrast, shut-outs have been easier to come by for Ipswich Town so far in the 2023-24 campaign, as Kieran McKenna's men made a Hillsborough stopover to take on another newly-promoted side in Sheffield Wednesday, who quickly found themselves under the cosh.
On the stroke of half time, Conor Chaplin's low strike squirmed through a sea of blue and white shirts - taking a significant deflection off Akin Famewo in the process - before trickling into the back of the net, and the Tractor Boys were unfortunate to only prevail by the one goal against the Owls, who were indebted to goalkeeper Devis Vasquez for keeping the scoreline respectable.
While his opposite number Xisco Munoz apologised to the home crowd for their tepid display, Ipswich boss McKenna revelled in a fifth win from six Championship matches, which has the Tractor Boys occupying third place in the rankings behind Leicester and early leaders Preston North End.
Restoring some defensive order, Ipswich had conceded at least two goals in three successive matches before keeping Sheffield Wednesday at bay for their third clean sheet of the campaign, and only Leicester have also taken nine points from nine on the road in the 2023-24 Championship so far.
The Tractor Boys have now been presented with a prime opportunity to win four Championship away games in a row for the first time since December 2015, but they have failed to win any of their last eight meetings with Southampton since a 2-0 success at Portman Road in November 2007.
Team News
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Replacing goalscorer Edozie at half time for his first league appearance of the season, Sulemana's return to league action was a torrid affair, as the former Rennes winger was given his marching orders for a crunching challenge on James Justin in the closing stages of their loss to Leicester.
Martin has confirmed that Southampton intend to appeal against the decision, but Sulemana will surely sit Tuesday's game out through suspension either way, and the hosting coach could also be sweating over the fitness of Edozie, whose half-time withdrawal was reportedly injury-related.
The hosts are already coping without defensive duo Jack Stephens and Juan Larios, as well as Achilles victim Ross Stewart, and either Joe Aribo or Sekou Mara should be introduced into the fray if Edozie's knock keeps him out.
Similarly, Ipswich did not emerge unscathed from their most recent battle, as left-back Leif Davis - who set up Chaplin's winner - was withdrawn just before the break at Hillsborough having both twisted and suffered a stamp to his ankle, forcing him to leave the ground in a boot.
McKenna is still none the wiser about Davis's injury, but Manchester United loanee Brandon Williams was a lively presence after coming on and could now be given the nod out wide, while Christian Walton and Wes Burns are keeping Davis company in the treatment room.
While McKenna would surely send out an untouched XI in an ideal world, fatigued legs could lead to the likes of Kayden Jackson, Jack Taylor and Omari Hutchinson given chances to impress, although only the former has started a league game so far this season.
Southampton possible starting lineup:
Bazunu; Bree, Holgate, Harwood-Bellis, Walker-Peters; Aribo, Alcaraz, Smallbone, Fraser; Adams, Armstrong
Ipswich Town possible starting lineup:
Hladky; Clarke, Woolfenden, Burgess, Williams; Luongo, Morsy; Burns, Chaplin, Broadhead; Jackson
We say: Southampton 1-2 Ipswich Town
It may have been nearly 16 years since Ipswich last got the better of Southampton in a competitive fixture, but Russell cannot fix the Saints' horrendous defensive play overnight, and such frailties should prove fatal once again.
Ipswich are hardly consistent at the back themselves, but McKenna's in-form troops have conceded just one goal on the road so far and were unlucky not to put Wednesday to the sword by more goals at the weekend, so another Tractor Boys success is the only outcome we can envisage.
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Top tip
Ben Knapton
