Southampton have made a really poor start to their 2021/22 Premier League campaign, failing to win even a single game so far. After six matches, the Saints are 16th on the league table with just four points.
Southampton suffered a 1-0 loss at the hands of Wolves last weekend and they could be staring down the barrel once again as they face Chelsea on Saturday.
The Blues go into this match at the back of two losses, one in the EPL and the latest one vs Juventus so Thomas Tuchel’s side will be eager to showcase a comeback, something which could be a major cause of concern for Hassenhutl’s side.
The Saints have a handful of absentees for this game but that should not stop the manager from naming a strong first XI. The only thing left for them to do is to find the rhythm and pick up their first win of the campaign.
Southampton team news vs Chelsea:
Valentino Livramento arrived from Chelsea but since he was a direct buy, the right-back will be eligible to feature against his former club.
This means the backline is not expected to see a reshuffle with Salisu and Bednarek playing in central defence and Walker-Peters playing on the left-hand side.
Midfielder Stuart Armstrong will be unavailable for selection since he is yet to recover from his calf injury and Theo Walcott will also likely miss out on Saturday.
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The absence of these two players means Southampton have very limited resources when it comes to the midfield areas but there’s a chance that Hassenhuttl could bring in Djenepo and push Nathan Redmond to the bench.
Armando Broja will be ineligible to play because of the loan arrangement meaning Adam Armstrong and Che Adams will once again pair up in the centre-forward’s role.
We don’t expect Southampton to pull the rabbit out of the hat on Sunday but Chelsea go into this game at the back of two losses, so their confidence is very much dented right now. And this could be the perfect opportunity for the Saints to perform a smash and grab.
Southampton predicted line up vs Chelsea:
Predicted Starting Line up: McCarthy; Bednarek, Salisu, Walker-Peters, Livramento; Elyounoussi, Romeu, Ward-Prowse, Djenepo/Redmond; Armstrong, Che Adams.
