Eckert focuses on Watford as Spygate noise persists and Saints target lift from minus four | OneFootball

Tonda Eckert brushed off the Spygate noise, fixing on Watford ahead of Sunday’s 1.30 kick-off at Vicarage Road. According to Sainstmarching.com, he said the saga has not distracted him.

Bromley’s Andy Woodman said he should have gone, and an EFL pundit called Saints’ backing staggering. The club settled it in summer, Solak backed him and 68 points from 33 league games last season remains the defence.

Watford will be without Travis Akomeah and Jack Grieves, while Jeremy Ngakia’s hamstring is expected to clear next week. Alessio Dionisi takes his first league match since replacing Ed Still on 15th June after five straight defeats ended last season.

Opta’s 10,000-run model puts Saints second, with a 13% title chance and 23.7% for automatic promotion, West Ham ahead on both.

Sky Sports will show it. Southampton have not lost a league game at Watford since 2007.

Ben Brereton Diaz is wanted again, with Derby County pushing a reunion and Sheffield United watching. He is under contract until June 2028.

Southampton have asked about a loan for Manchester United centre-back Godwill Kukonki, seen as a project. Petar Ratkov turned down a switch to the South Coast, and Benfica’s £17m offer for Taylor Harwood-Bellis was rebuffed.

Cyle Larin should start after scoring at Colchester, with Dobbin, Azaz and Scienza likely in support. Mubama waits for his first minutes on loan from Manchester City.

The maths is harsh, victory only lifts a four-point deduction to minus one. Expect songs about spying, but the answer is points.

Source: Sainstmarching.com

“Artificial intelligence was used to assist in creating this article based on reporting from the original source quoted.”