Stoke City can seal Premier League promotion but Southampton could ruin it all | OneFootball

Stoke City boss Mark Robins has been linked with the vacant managerial role at Southampton

Southampton have confirmed the dismissal of Will Still as head coach after just two wins in 13 league matches, and have identified an array of replacements for the Englishman, including Stoke City's Mark Robins.

The moods surrounding Stoke City and Southampton couldn't be much more different at the moment, so it makes sense that the Saints have reportedly identified Potters manager Mark Robins as a successor to Will Still at St Mary's.

According to Graeme Bailey via X, Robins has been viewed as a potential replacement for Still, who, on Sunday evening, was relieved from his position as head coach on the South Coast, with the club sitting just above the relegation zone after just over a quarter of the way through the Championship season.

Frank Lampard remains as the first choice option for Saints, whilst England Under-21s boss Lee Carsley and Wolves target Gary O'Neil also remain as options alongside Robins.

Stoke fans will not take kindly to the news of Robins being courted by other clubs, with the Potters sitting in a comfy third at this stage in the season, and enjoyed their biggest win of the campaign so far at the weekend, pumping play-off chasing Bristol City 5-1 at home.

The Potters have been in a malaise for nearly the past decade. Having been relegated from the Premier League in 2018, the club has yet to finish above 14th in the Championship table in seven attempts, despite the large investment in the squad by the owners over the years, spending £50 million in their first season down alone.

Now, under Robins, Potters fans will be hoping that that could all change this season, and will be issuing a strong hands-off warning to Southampton in their pursuit of a new manager.

Stoke City will be desperate to keep hold of Mark Robins in their Premier League pursuit amid Southampton interest

Under Robins this season, Stoke have announced themselves as real contenders for a place in the top six, and currently sit in third place with seven wins, three draws, and three defeats from 13 games.

They say goals win games, and defence wins titles, and with Stoke having not just the best defensive record in the Championship, but in the entire EFL, having conceded just nine goals so far, it bodes well for their promotion aspirations.

A large reason behind their superior defence is the heroics of Swedish shot-stopper Viktor Johansson, who, according to FotMob, has the best goals prevented record (4.2) in the league at this stage, and played a vital role last season in the club barely scraping survival.

The Potters had the second-worst defensive record in the Championship last season, behind only Plymouth Argyle, which makes the fact that four out of the defensive five (including Johansson) are the exact same as last season.

Ben Wilmot, Ashley Phillips, Junior Tchamadeu and Johansson all played regularly last season, which makes Robins' turnaround of his side's structure all the more impressive.

Southampton, on the other hand, have kept just two clean sheets all season, both in goalless draws, and have conceded over double (19) Stoke's tally at this stage.

The Potters will be desperate to keep Robins at the club, with a promotion push looking like an increased possibility in Staffordshire this campaign.

Keeping Mark Robins will be crucial in Stoke City's push for promotion this season

It would be fair to suggest that keeping Robins at the club is Stoke's best bet for promotion this season.

The Potters have gone through seven different managers since relegation from the Premier League in 2018, with each of Gary Rowett, Nathan Jones, Michael O'Neill, Alex Neil, Steven Schumacher, and Narcis Pelach all trying and failing before Robins.

Not since the 2021/22 season has a Stoke manager been given the full season in charge, and under Robins, the Potters will finally be hoping for some consistency in the dugout.

The former Manchester United striker worked wonders at Coventry City during his seven-year stint at the Sky Blues, transforming the club from a side dwelling in League Two to one just a penalty shootout away from the Premier League.

Coventry sit top of the Championship table at this stage under Frank Lampard, who deserves huge plaudits for the work he is doing at the CBS Arena, but the foundations were laid long ago by Robins, and Stoke fans will be hoping that he can conjure similar magic in the Potters as he did with Coventry.

Keeping a hold of Robins this season is not only necessary for Stoke's promotion push, but crucial that the club doesn't slip into a malaise once more, and fans will be hoping that Southampton turn their attentions away sooner rather than later.