Southampton vs Huddersfield Town. Premier League.
St. Mary's StadiumAttendance30,367.
Southampton vs Huddersfield preview: Ralph Hasenhuttl set to make changes
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Sunday 12 May 2019 09:19, UK
Southampton boss Ralph Hasenhuttl is set to make changes for his side's season finale against relegated Huddersfield.
Hasenhuttl will be without Maya Yoshida (virus) but after fielding a more experimental side against West Ham last time out, should return to his strongest XI for the last match of the campaign, with Angus Gunn, Nathan Redmond and James Ward-Prowse expected to return.
"We have still one game to go at the weekend and we will have a few changes back in maybe the shape we played before and the players that played before," Hasenhuttl said.
Southampton secured their place in next season's Premier League on April 27 with a 3-3 draw against Bournemouth and will be looking to end their season on a high at St Mary's.
"This game gives us a serious chance to say goodbye in a winning way and that's what I want to do with my team," Hasenhuttl told reporters.
Huddersfield will be without defender Erik Durm at St Mary's.
The German right-back was withdrawn at half-time in last week's home draw against Manchester United and has not trained this week.
Fellow defenders Mathias Jorgensen and Chris Lowe will be assessed, while boss Jan Siewert has confirmed Joel Coleman will start in goal.
Huddersfield ended their eight-match losing streak last weekend with a 1-1 draw against Manchester United and Jan Siewert wants his side to build on the performance against Ole Gunnar Solskjaer's men as they prepare for their final league game.
"We can once more show our fighting spirit and hopefully end the season with a win," Siewert said. "But no matter what the result is, for me it's always important that the players show each game the fight.
Opta stats
- Southampton are unbeaten in their last four meetings with Huddersfield in all competitions (W2 D2), winning one and drawing two of their three Premier League games.
- Huddersfield's last away win against Southampton in any competition was a 2-1 top-flight victory in September 1971, with the Terriers drawing one and losing three since then.
- Southampton have won just one of their last eight final Premier League games of the season (D2 L5), beating Crystal Palace 4-1 in 2015-16.
- Across the last two seasons, Huddersfield Town have lost more Premier League games (47) and conceded more goals (133) than any other top-flight side.
- This will be Southampton's third match against a side starting the day bottom this season, winning neither of the previous two (0-0 vs Newcastle in October, 2-3 vs Fulham in November).
- The team starting the day bottom of the Premier League on the final day of the season has ended on the winning side in one of the last 13 seasons (W1 D2 L10), though it was Stoke City's 2-1 win at Swansea City last season.
- Unless they win by 5+ goals, Huddersfield are on course to be just the second side in a 20-team Premier League season to finish with a goal difference of less than -50 after Derby County in 2007-08 (-69).
- Southampton and Huddersfield have each used 30 different players in the Premier League this season, more than any other side. No side has had more different goalscorers (exc. own goals) than Saints (16), while only Fulham (10) have had fewer than Huddersfield (11).
- Shane Long has scored in each of his last three Premier League home games for Southampton - the last player to score in four consecutively at St Mary's for Saints was James Beattie in April 2003.
- Southampton's James Ward-Prowse has created the most chances of any player who has yet to provide an assist in the Premier League this season (47).
Merson's prediction
When you're playing at home, you want to finish the season well with the feel-good factor. If they win this game, people will forget where they were in January.
PAUL PREDICTS: 4-1
