Southampton vs Bournemouth preview: Ralph Hasenhuttl never doubted Premier League survival
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Saturday 27 April 2019 07:10, UK
Ralph Hasenhuttl always believed Southampton could battle their way towards Premier League safety, or he would never have taken on the challenge.
Following their 1-1 draw on Tuesday night at Watford - where forward Shane Long scored the fastest goal in Premier League history after just 7.69 seconds - the Saints edged closer to top-flight survival.
Heading into the last three matches of the campaign, which continues at home against Bournemouth, Hasenhuttl's side are six points clear of 18th-placed Cardiff and with a superior goal difference.
Victory over the Cherries would complete a remarkable turnaround since the Austrian took over in early December following the departure of Mark Hughes, whose side had managed only one win in 14 league games.
Asked if there had been any doubts of what could be achieved, Hasenhuttl said: "If I thought we could not do this, I would not have taken the job.
"In the moment I made the decision to do this job, it was clear I trust my team and that we can stay in the league.
"The way was a very difficult one, but we invested a lot, my staff and the team in this club, to leave this negative track we were in.
"I think we have now the feeling that we are in a period where something is growing here and that is the most important thing for everybody working in this club, that we see that we started to go on a journey that is going in the right direction."
Bournemouth have won just two of their last 11 matches, but Eddie Howe wants his side to end the season on a high with three Premier League matches remaining.
He said: "It's important we don't go into next season with any negative momentum so I think the way we finish this season will be hugely important.
"We've usually finished the season very strongly and we're keen to do that again."
Team news
Southampton will check on defender Ryan Bertrand (ankle) ahead of the Premier League match against Bournemouth.
Midfielder Stuart Armstrong (hamstring) also faces a fitness test, but Jannik Vestergaard (groin) remains unavailable.
Full-back Matt Targett has resumed full training following muscular fatigue, so could return to the squad. Forward Michael Obafemi (hamstring) continues his rehabilitation.
Junior Stanislas will be out for three to four months after undergoing hamstring surgery.
Adam Smith will miss the trip to St Mary's and Howe has admitted he is unsure whether the right-back will be fit to return before the end of the season.
Opta stats
- Southampton have lost just one of their last 11 meetings with Bournemouth in all competitions (W6 D4), a 0-2 loss in March 2016.
- Bournemouth have never won away against Southampton in any competition, drawing five and losing nine of their 14 meetings.
- Southampton have won three of their last four home league games, as many as they had in their previous 24 at St Mary's (W3 D11 L10).
- Southampton have scored at least once in their last 12 Premier League home games - only Man City (19), Arsenal (17) and Liverpool (13) are enjoying a longer such run in the competition.
- After a run of nine consecutive away league defeats, Bournemouth have won two of their last three on the road. The Cherries' last away game saw them pick up their biggest ever top-flight away win (5-0 vs Brighton).
- None of Bournemouth's last 20 away league games has ended in a draw (W6 L14), with the winning side netting at least twice every time.
- In the last five Premier League games in which he's scored, Bournemouth's Ryan Fraser has also provided at least one assist - the longest such run in the competition's history.
- Southampton's Danny Ings has only scored in one of his last eight home league appearances, scoring twice in Saints' 3-2 win against Arsenal in December.
- Southampton's Shane Long has scored in his last two home appearances in the Premier League, having netted in just one of his previous 32. He's never scored in three successive home games in the competition before.
- Just two of Bournemouth striker Josh King's 11 Premier League goals this season have come away from home, with the Norwegian's last seven coming at home.
Merson's prediction
Bournemouth are one of those teams who can just go out and play and they have ammunition to hurt you. They had a difficult time last week, the full-back [Adam Smith] getting injured and then [Junior] Stanislas too.
But I think there'll be loads of goals in this game. Southampton are safe for me, and I don't see a lot between these two teams, if the season started today and you asked me who would finish higher out of these two I couldn't tell you.
PAUL PREDICTS: 2-2
