Match Pack: Saints vs Sheffield Wednesday

Get game-ready for Southampton’s return to St Mary’s, as interim manager Tonda Eckert leads Saints against Sheffield Wednesday in the final round of Sky Bet Championship fixtures ahead of the upcoming international break.

THE MATCH

Southampton vs Sheffield Wednesday
Sky Bet Championship
St Mary’s Stadium
Saturday 8th November, 3pm GMT

THE OFFICIALS

Referee: Ruebyn Ricardo
Assistants: Robert Hyde, Alistair Nelson
Fourth official: Farai Hallam

THE KITS

Both teams will wear their traditional home colours for the game, with Sheffield Wednesday in blue and white striped shirts, blue shorts and blue socks.

TICKETS

The match is a Category B fixture and tickets remain on general sale, with Adult tickets priced from £25 and Under-18s from £15.

Saints vs Sheff Wed tickets

LIVE COVERAGE

For those unable to make it to St Mary’s, Saints Play match passes are available to supporters outside the UK.

Buy a match pass for £10

Saturday’s Remembrance-themed programme cover

THE PROGRAMME

The matchday programme is available to order online, as well as from the various sellers around St Mary’s.

Our Remembrance edition pays tribute to those who made the ultimate sacrifice, with the back cover inscribed with the names of our former Saints who died during the First and Second World Wars.

Inside, you will find All Saints Day tributes from fans and the club, celebrating the lives of those who have passed away in the past 12 months, as well as Ronnie Edwards’ A-Z of Football and everything you need to know about our visitors.

Programme store

WHAT’S AT STAKE?

Saints are looking for back-to-back league wins for the first time this season and can climb up to mid-table with victory.

Sheffield Wednesday have had a turbulent season already and would be one point adrift at the bottom of the table even without the 12-point deduction imposed on them for entering administration.

As it is, the Owls are on -4, well adrift of city neighbours Sheffield United, and are without a win in their last eight, though they have drawn the last two and have rediscovered some positive energy following the departure of controversial owner Dejphon Chansiri.

TEAM NEWS

Saints: Tonda Eckert revealed Cameron Bragg will be the only new absentee from the Southampton squad for Saturday’s Sky Bet Championship showdown with Sheffield Wednesday at St Mary’s.

The 20-year-old midfielder has a minor hamstring problem, opening the door for fellow youngster Barnaby Williams, Eckert confirmed.

Welington will serve the third and final match of his suspension, while the game will come too soon for Oriol Romeu, who needs to build his fitness before he makes his second Saints debut.

Sheff Wed: Di’Shon Bernard, Nathaniel Chalobah, Pierce Charles, Olaf Kobacki and Ernie Weaver all missed Wednesday’s draw with Norwich at Hillsborough in midweek. It is not yet known whether any of the quintet will be available at St Mary’s.

THE MANAGERS

Tonda Eckert: “It’s not so important how the numbers look like, if it’s a [back] three or a [back] four, what’s important is we get energy on the pitch.

“I can promise that we will leave everything out there and we will need the same thing from the fans tomorrow. I think we can make a big statement tomorrow. It all depends on us in the end.”

Henrik Pedersen: “I feel like there were many steps in the right direction [in the 1-1 draw against Norwich]. We’re always looking behind the result for what we can learn from the games, and we’ve spoken a lot about why we haven’t played in first halves like we’ve played in second halves.”

“How we played on the ball in the first half is probably the best we’ve played all season. Second half we changed to a 4-2-4, we adapted and we were strong in the transition. We had big chances, and it should’ve been enough.”

ONES TO WATCH

Leo Scienza: Already a cult hero with the Saints fans, Scienza scored his second goal in three games in sublime fashion at QPR to enhance his growing reputation.

Tonda Eckert did not mention the Brazilian in his pre-match press conference, suggesting he has shaken off the injury that forced him off in the second half at Loftus Road.

Barry Bannan: Namechecked by Eckert at his Friday media briefing, veteran midfielder Bannan is still pulling the strings at the heart of the Wednesday midfield.

The diminutive Scot is the Owls’ chief creator and set-piece taker, and Eckert was quick to identify his influence as crucial for Saints to keep under wraps.

TOP PERFORMERS

Saints

Goals:

Armstrong 4
Archer, Manning, Robinson, Scienza, Stewart 2
Seven players 1

Assists:

Fraser 2
Eleven players 1

Sheff Wed:

Goals:

Bannan, Lowe 3
Brown 2
Seven players 1

Assists:

Bannan 2
Five players 1

FORM GUIDE

Saints

QPR (a) SBC: W 2-1 (Robinson, Scienza)
Preston (h) SBC: L 0-2
Blackburn (a) SBC: L 1-2 (Scienza)
Bristol City (a) SBC: L 1-3 (Armstrong)
Swansea (h) SBC: D 0-0

Sheff Wed

Norwich (h) SBC: D 1-1 (Bannan)
West Brom (a) SBC: D 0-0
Oxford (h) SBC: L 1-2 (Fusire)
Middlesbrough (h) SBC: L 0-1
Charlton (a) SBC: L 1-2 (Lowe)

HEAD TO HEAD

Played: 86
Saints wins: 28
Draws: 25
Sheff Wed wins: 33

LAST FIVE MEETINGS

Jan 2024: Saints 4-0 Sheff Wed Championship (Adams, Armstrong, Fraser, Mara)
Aug 2023: Sheff Wed 1-2 Saints Championship (Armstrong, Adams)
Nov 2022: Saints 1-1 Sheff Wed* League Cup (Ward-Prowse pen)
Sep 2012: Saints 2-0 Sheff Wed League Cup (Rodriguez 2, 1 pen)
Mar 2011: Saints 2-0 Sheff Wed League One (Fonte, Lambert)