Southampton aim to ease St Mary's nerves with Stoke test after points deduction | OneFootball

Southampton welcome Stoke City to St Mary's in their first home match since Spygate, four points adrift after the deduction, and looking for a lift.

According to Sainstmarching.com, online discontent is growing, even if the loudest may be a minority. Yet with just one league defeat in 22, the Saints see Saturday as a chance to start climbing.

Mark Robins brings Stoke to St Mary's at three pm on Saturday aiming for back-to-back wins at the ground. Last season the Potters began brightly then beat Will Still's side 2-1 with Sorba Thomas influential.

Stoke were reduced to ten men in the second half for simulation yet still took all three points. The player dismissed was Divin Mubama, now on loan at Southampton.

Cyle Larin will continue as Tonda Eckert's starting striker when fit, while 21-year-old Divin Mubama hopes to take his chances, perhaps with a cameo from the bench on his first St Mary's return since that dismissal.

Southampton will want a quick start against a well-drilled Robins side, a fixture that could otherwise test the mood inside the ground.

Victory would move their tally to minus one and bring them closer if rivals falter. Finn Azaz is set to return, giving the Saints a chance to edge back towards their best, while Caspar Jander is not yet fit after missing pre-season with an injury at Eastleigh. Six home matches follow in their next nine.

Source: Sainstmarching.com

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