Venue: St Mary's Stadium Kick-Off: 1.30pm Southampton's home form is likely to be the key to their survival this year, and it is currently looking shaky at best, with an unlucky last-minute loss against Manchester United followed by a capitulation against Wigan, before the bounce back to hammer Aston Villa. This week sees the turn of Martin Jol's Fulham to visit St.Mary's, and it is worth noting that the Londoners have not won a league match at Southampton for 77 years. Fulham have enjoyed a positive start to the season, with two defeats against the Manchester clubs and another against West Ham, and beating Norwich, West Brom and Wigan. This suggests that their form is much like that of last season where their form seemed subject to peaks and troughs. Jol will want them to respond after their home defeat against Manchester City last week, but Nigel Adkins men will have other ideas as they look to pick up their 2nd home win of the season.
Team News
Southampton's French midfielder Morgan Schneiderlin could return after a knee injury after missing last weekend's loss at Everton, and 'keeper Artur Boruc could also return, but Jack Cork is out with his own knee problem. Fulham could be without striker Mladen Petric who is a doubt thanks to a calf problem picked up in training, as well as Dimitar Berbatov who, according to manager Martin Jol only has 10 per cent chance of playing on Sunday. Kieran Richardson makes his return, but Simon Davies and Mahamadou Diarra are out.
Likely Line-Ups
Southampton (4-1-2-1-2): Gazziniga; Clyne, Yoshida, Fonte, Richardson; S Davis; Lallana, Ward-Prowse; Ramirez; Lambert, Rodriquez.
Fulham (4-3-3): Schwarzer; Riether, Hughes, Hangeland, Riise; Duff, Baird, Sidwell; Ruiz, Petric, Rodallega.
Referee: Mark Clattenburg
Prediction: 2-2 Southampton showed that they can compete in this league after beating Aston Villa and pushing Manchester United right till the last minute, but it is in games like these where they need to pick up points if they are to retain their Premier League status.
TV: Live on Sky Sports 1