Southampton vs Stoke City Preview & Prediction | 2024-25 English League Cup
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It has been a difficult start to life back in the top-flight for Southampton but the Saints are just a game away from the quarter-finals of the EFL Cup as they now face Championship opposition Stoke City at St Mary’s in the fourth round.
KICK-OFF DATE/TIME: Tuesday 29th October, 2024: UK – 7:45pm / US ET – 3:45pm / US PT – 12:45pm
HOW TO WATCH ON TV: UK – Sky Sports+ / US – CBS Sports Golazo Network
HOW TO WATCH ONLINE: UK – Sky Sports+ app / US – Amazon Prime & Paramount+
SOUTHAMPTON PREVIEW: EVOLVING SAINTS
On Saturday, Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola said that Southampton are the best team in the Premier League at defending with the ball. Russell Martin’s extreme possession-based style of football can often give away chances and goals such are the risks that they take but they did manage to limit City to just 1-0 win at the Etihad Stadium at the weekend.
Saints have managed to collect just one point from their opening nine matches of the Premier League campaign as they sit rock-bottom in the English top-flight following promotion last season. In the EFL Cup so far this season, Southampton defeated Cardiff City by five goals to three in south Wales before edging past Everton on penalties at Goodison Park.
STOKE CITY PREVIEW: THE CUP RUN
Once again, Stoke City are heading into November having already made a managerial sacking in quite bizarre and seemingly unfair circumstances. The Potters started the campaign well and the departure of Steven Schumacher did not go down well with the appointment of Narcis Pelach, a surprising and, as of yet, once again bizarre decision.
The visitors come into this one on the back of a 2-0 defeat to Sheffield United in the Championship at the weekend and they have now managed just one victory inside 90 minutes in their last nine matches across all competitions. That was a 6-1 win over Portsmouth with penalties even required to defeat League Two Fleetwood Town in the third round of the EFL Cup.
SOUTHAMPTON TEAM NEWS: UNLIKELY TO ROTATE
Southampton need a confidence and morale boosting victory due to their poor form in the Premier League so it would appear unlikely that Russell Martin will make too many changes for this one.
Russell Martin has in fact said he will ‘play the strongest team available’ with Gavin Bazunu out injured alongside Will Smallbone and Ross Stewart, whilst Ryan Fraser is suspended.
PREDICTED XI (3-4-2-1): Ramsdale; Harwood-Bellis, Bednarek, Stephens; Walker-Peters, Downes, Lallana, Manning; Dibling, Fernandes; Archer
UNAVAILABLE: Bazunu (Injured), Smallbone (Injured), Fraser (Suspended), Stewart (Injured)
QUESTIONABLE:
STOKE CITY TEAM NEWS: SEVERAL ABSENTEES
Stoke City have built a squad that doesn’t make much sense and doesn’t have much identity with an eclectic but seemingly aimless mix of players throughout the squad but there is talent there.
They are dealing with a few absentees for this week with summer signings Bosun Lawal and Sam Gallagher sidelined alongside both Ben Pearson and Lynden Gooch.
PREDICTED XI (3-4-3): Bonham; Wilmot, Phillips, Gibson; Tchamadeu, Moran, Burger, Stevens; Manhoef, Cannon, Vidigal
UNAVAILABLE: Lawal (Injured), Pearson (Injured), Gooch (Injured), Gallagher (Injured)
QUESTIONABLE:
SOUTHAMPTON VS STOKE CITY PREDICTION
Southampton were one of the most entertaining teams to watch in the second-tier last season and they do remain fun to watch this time around but have, despite Russell Martin’s suggestions in the summer, begun to slightly tweak and evolve their style. That won’t be the case for this one and the chance to make a cup quarter-final is a big one at home to an out of form and struggling Stoke side. A comfortable home win would appear the likeliest outcome for this one down on the south coast.
SOUTHAMPTON VS STOKE CITY TIP: SOUTHAMPTON TO WIN -1 HANDICAP
