Southampton team news: Webster and Welbeck out

Our men’s first team return to Premier League action on Monday as they take on Southampton, kick-off 3pm.

The game itself has an element of fate about it, given that it will be Nathan Jones’s first home league match in charge of his new team.

The Welshman was a part of the team that won back-to-back promotions from League Two to the Championship in the early 2000s, before returning as a coach in 2013.

For us though the focus will be on making it three Premier League wins from our last four outings, having beaten Chelsea and Wolves in consecutive outings before a home defeat to Aston Villa.

We’ve also enjoyed relative success on the road this campaign, taking ten points from seven away games, while second bottom Saints have only enjoyed one win at St Mary’s this season.

All Premier League matches played on 26, 27 and 28 December will be marked by a period of applause following the passing of George Cohen MBE.

Team news

Roberto De Zerbi confirmed that we will be without both Danny Welbeck and Adam Webster for the game at Southampton. He said in his press conference on Friday afternoon, "Welbeck might be able to play against Arsenal, but Webster won't be."

Alexis Mac Allister on the other hand was given two weeks off following his success with Argentina at the World Cup, with De Zerbi only wanting the midfielder to return when he feels ready.

"I have to speak to him, but I only want Alexis to come back when he is ready to play because for the players who have been playing at the World Cup, it's not easy to come back 100 percent."

Our last meeting

Danny Welbeck’s opener after two minutes followed by Mohamed Salisu’s own goal shortly before half-time looked as if it had bagged us all three points when we met at the Amex in April. However, a brace from James Ward-Prowse snatched a point for Saints.

Player to watch

Saints skipper James Ward-Prowse may well have the biggest job on his hands during his career at the club. With Southampton sat 19th after 15 games, he will no doubt be a key figure on the pitch if they’re to drag themselves away from trouble. His 11 goals from midfield last season highlight his threat going forward, with the 28-year-old well known for his set-piece threat.

Stats

Southampton have lost just one of their 10 Premier League meetings with Brighton (W3 D6), going down 2-1 at home in March 2021.

Brighton have never lost away to Southampton in the Premier League, winning one and drawing four of their five visits to St Mary's in the competition.

The home side has never won in 10 previous Premier League games between Southampton and Brighton (D6 L4) – no fixture has been played as often without the home side ever winning (Bournemouth v Watford also 10).

Southampton have lost just one of their last 10 Boxing Day league games (W7 D2), going down 5-2 at Tottenham in 2017. At home, Saints are unbeaten in six Boxing Day games (W4 D2) since a 2-1 loss to Chelsea in 1999.

Brighton beat Brentford 2-0 on Boxing Day last season, ending an 11-game spell without a league win on this day (D4 L7). However, they're winless in their last six away from home on Boxing Day (D1 L5) since beating Norwich 1-0 in 2002.

Southampton have won just one of their last 10 Premier League games (D2 L7), scoring just six goals in this run and never more than once in a game. Saints have also kept only one clean sheet in their last 21 league games, and are the only Premier League side without a home shutout this season.

Having kept three clean sheets in their first four Premier League games this season, Brighton have since kept just one in their last 10. The Seagulls' last four league games have produced a total of 17 goals (F9 A8), at an average of 4.3 per game.

This will be Nathan Jones' first home Premier League game in charge of Southampton. Just one of the last eight Saints managers to take charge of the club in the top-flight has won their first such home game (D5 L2), though it was the most recent one, with Ralph Hasenhüttl beating Arsenal in December 2018.

Che Adams has scored twice as many Premier League goals as any other Southampton player this season (4). However, all four of his strikes have come away from home, making him the highest scoring player yet to score at home in the competition so far this term.

No player has scored more away goals in the Premier League this season than Brighton's Leandro Trossard (5), while no Seagulls player has ever scored more than five on the road in a single Premier League campaign.

Match officials

Referee: Robert Jones.

Assistants: Lee Betts, Ian Hussin.

Fourth official: Dean Whitestone.

VAR: Michael Salisbury.

Assistant VAR: Scott Ledger.