Southampton’s play-off chances hinge on four tricky fixtures | OneFootball

According to Sainstmarching.com, Southampton face a defining four-match run. They have 11 games left, five against top 10 sides, with only two of those five away, at Coventry on Saturday 14 March and at Wrexham on Easter Monday.

First up are West Bromwich Albion. Caretaker James Morrison’s side are fighting for survival, one point above the drop zone, and visit Sheffield United first, so could be in the bottom three when Tonda Eckert’s side arrive.

Southampton nearly surrendered a three-goal lead in the reverse meeting after failing to handle high balls, a reminder that relegation battlers rarely prove straightforward.

They then head to the Coventry Building Society Arena. They drew 1-1 at St Mary’s with 10 men, and four straight wins have put Frank Lampard’s side five points clear and favourites for automatic promotion. Southampton will travel more in hope than expectation.

Norwich City then visit, having climbed clear under Philippe Clement. They won 2-1 at Carrow Road in December before Southampton’s festive dip, so Eckert’s team will take nothing for granted against mid-table opponents playing for pride and contracts.

Oxford United then visit. On Boxing Day at the Kassam, Saints were on top after levelling, only to be sunk by a late winner that deflated a struggling side. Things should be different by then, and the fight may already have gone out of Matt Bloomfield’s team.

If Southampton can collect seven to nine points, their play-off hopes should remain alive. Anything less could make the task very difficult.

Source: Sainstmarching.com