Charlton Host Southampton in First League Clash in 14 Years | OneFootball

Southampton are set to travel to Charlton, where a familiar manager — Nathan Jones — will be desperate to get one over on his former club. While the Addicks have managerial stability, the South Coast outfit has yet to permanently appoint their next head coach, with interim boss Tonda Eckert remaining for the foreseeable future.

It’s the first time these sides have met in the league in fourteen years. But will the Saints maintain their new-manager bounce, or will Charlton launch a push into the playoffs?

Current Form

Charlton suffered a 1-0 defeat to Wrexham before the international break. They were dominated, conceding an xG of 2.46, but had gone five games unbeaten prior. Wins against Ipswich and West Brom, alongside a draw against Hull, have solidified them in a comfortable position ahead of their clash against Southampton.

The Saints won two in thirteen under Will Still. Eckert came in and equalled that tally in one week with crucial victories against out-of-form opponents QPR and Sheffield Wednesday. Scoring five goals in two games is a positive sign for Southampton’s front line, but their defence remains an issue.

Have the Saints been lucky?

In both of their last two wins, Eckert’s men fell significantly short in terms of possession. They realised the times they needed to sit back and soak in the pressure, and it worked. Against QPR, they were riding their luck. While the players gave it their all, both of their goals were against the run of play, and on another day the odds could’ve fallen against them.

The R’s had double the shots but created only two big chances — a stat emphasising the Saints’ ability to limit opposition. This has been prevalent throughout the season, though, but manager Will Still was often the victim of conceding poor goals, predominantly from his own side’s mistakes.

Eckert has come in and brought a sense of self-confidence to the players, seen through Scienza’s lively 25-yard strike, Armstrong’s composed finish against Sheffield Wednesday and players Finn Azaz and Caspar Jander scoring their first goals in red and white.

A wonder goal by Owls wingback Harry Amass put a dampener on the Saints, but they were comfortable in seeing out their second victory in a row, winning 3-1. Conceding no big chances against the bottom of the league is expected but a necessary defensive boost heading into the hectic Christmas period.

Injuries & Suspensions

Charlton

Southampton

Predicted Lineups

Charlton (3-4-1-2): Kaminski; Gillesphey, Jones, Ramsay; Campbell, Carey, Coventry, Hernandez; Knibbs; Olaofe, Fullah

Southampton (3-4-3): Bazunu; Stephens, Wood, Harwood-Bellis; Manning, Jander, Downes, Fellows; Scienza, Armstrong, Azaz

Manager Quotes

Predicted Scoreline

The Nathan Jones spectacle. It’s going to be one of the toughest games of the season thus far for the South Coast outfit. They’ll have to remain compact in their 3/5 back system to avoid space for Charlton to exploit.

Jones has drilled a well-organised, pressing and direct side. The Saints may have to play it long for spells of the game to avoid mistakes in build-up. Charlton will be patient, knowing that Southampton are yet to have a comfortable 90-minute performance and that form is on their side. With injuries piling up for both sides, an even fixture is expected at the Valley.