Southampton v Brentford preview: Saints looking to build momentum
Sunday’s 0-0 draw with Manchester United means they have kept three clean sheets in four top-flight outings under Rubén Sellés (W2, D1, L1), putting behind them an awful record of just one shut-out from their previous 28 league games.
Further evidence that Southampton have turned a corner under their new boss is illustrated by the fact they are now unbeaten in back-to-back PL fixtures for the first time since October (W1, D1).
They do remain bottom of the division though, and will surely have to improve on their dreadful record of just two wins from twelve attempts at St Mary’s (D3, L7) - the top flight’s worst home record - if they are to avoid a return to the Championship after over ten years in the top-flight.
They may struggle to improve that record against visitors Brentford, who have lost just two of the last eight H2H meetings between the two sides (W4, D2).
Thomas Frank’s side will arrive on the South Coast on the back of a defeat however, with Saturday’s 1-0 loss to Everton ending their superb unbeaten run of a dozen league games (W6, D6).
Frank was “frustrated” by his side’s finishing at Goodison, as the Bees suffered a blow in their hopes of securing an unlikely European qualification spot.
They now sit four points off the top six but will be positive they can close that gap with a win here against the Saints, especially as they have not lost any of their seven league games against the teams currently occupying the PL’s bottom five positions (W4, D3).
Key battle: Saints striker Ché Adams will hope to improve on a poor record versus Brentford, after netting just once in nine meetings and winning only twice (D2, L5).
He’ll come up directly against Bees defender Ben Mee, who scored when Brentford won the reverse fixture 3-0 last month and has only lost four of his 13 H2H meetings with Southampton (W6, D3).
Hot stat: Brentford have conceded five goals in the opening 15 minutes of their PL away games this season, the joint most in the division.
