Southampton v Everton team news

Southampton v Everton team news

Southampton and Everton play out an early six-pointer on Saturday with both managers in serious danger of getting the boot. Southampton head into the game sitting in 18th spot with just eight points from their opening 11 matches and with a torrid record on home soil.
Last month’s 9-0 thrashing at the hands of Leicester has left many questioning the long-term future of boss Ralph Hasenhuttl, although he did claw back some respect after pushing Manchester City close in a 2-1 defeat at the Etihad last weekend.
Saturday’s loss to City was Southampton’s third in a row across all competitions and stretched their winless run to six.
They have failed to pick up a victory at St Mary’s in the league this term, losing four and drawing one, and failure to address that record this weekend could prove to be the final nail in the coffin for the Austrian.
Cedric Soares could come back into the matchday squad after spending six weeks out with a calf injury, while summer signing Moussa Djenepo is pushing for his second league start after returning to fitness.
Defender Ryan Bertrand is the only certainty to miss out as he serves a suspension following his sending off against Leicester.
Everton are arguably under more pressure to perform, despite being on the road, after Marco Silva was backed handsomely in the summer transfer market.
The club’s owners have set their sights on European football but Silva has so far failed to deliver and they lie 17th – just three points ahead of Saturday’s opponents.
Their away record is even worse than Southampton’s terrible home form, having failed to win any of the last eight matches in the league.
They did pick up a point last time out courtesy of a late header from Cenk Tosun to seal a 1-1 draw with Tottenham at Goodison Park, however, that came at a heavy cost.
Andre Gomes sustained a fractured dislocation of his ankle in the latter stages and has since undergone surgery.
It was initially feared that he could miss the rest of the season but Silva believes he could feature again in 2019-20.
Fabian Delph is nursing a hamstring injury and has been rated as a major doubt for the trip to the south coast.
Everton have lost five of their past six visits to Southampton, including a 2-1 loss in this fixture last season.

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