Match Pack: Saints vs West Ham
Boxing Day sees Saints host West Ham at St Mary's in the Premier League. Get prepared for the festive fixture with our Match Pack...
THE MATCH
Saints vs West Ham
Premier League
St Mary's Stadium
Thursday 26th December, 3pm GMT
THE OFFICIALS
Referee: Lewis Smith
Assistants: Stuart Burt, Tim Wood
Fourth official: James Linington
VAR: Stuart Attwell
Assistant VAR: Richard West
WHAT'S AT STAKE?
Ivan Jurić takes charge of his first match as manager having been appointed on Saturday and will want to start in style.
The Croatian takes charge following Saints' resilient showing at Fulham on Sunday, where Simon Rusk guided the side to a goalless draw at Craven Cottage.
West Ham head to the south coast three unbeaten in the Premier League, but the hosts will be looking to mark their final home game of 2024 with all three points.
TEAM NEWS
Captain Jack Stephens is available having served his four-match suspension, with no fresh injury concerns for Saints' new boss.
Will Smallbone has returned to training following a lengthy absence with a hamstring injury, but may find Boxing Day comes too soon.
THE MANAGERS
Ivan Jurić: "The Premier League is the best league in the world and I think it’s a great opportunity to see the best players, the stadiums, everything. I had some contact two years ago, which was the first time I started thinking about Southampton.
"I was the coach of Torino and I stayed there, but I always liked thinking about [Southampton] and I liked watching lots of the games. Last year I was very interested in Southampton, and I know lots of the players because of that. Two years ago I was watching a lot and last year a little bit. This year I was watching – it was my wish to come here.”
Julen Lopetegui: "There are no other matches in our mind than Southampton. They are a good team, despite being near the bottom. They have shown in different moments that they have quality, and now they have a new coach so there will be an extra energy.
We had this in Leicester, so we know it's going to be a tough match, and we have to do our best."
TOP SCORERS
Southampton
Goals:
Cameron Archer 5
Armstrong, Harwood-Bellis 3
Aribo, Fernandes, Bree 2
Assists:
Mateus Fernandes 3
Dibling, Walker-Peters, Lallana, Taylor 2
Armstrong, Sugawara, Kamaldeen 1
West Ham
Goals:
Jarrod Bowen 5
Tomas Soucek 4
Paquetá, Kudus 3
Assists:
Jarrod Bowen 4
Mohammed Kudus 2
Six players 1
ONES TO WATCH
Aaron Ramsdale: The goalkeeper made his return from injury at Fulham last time out and played a vital role in earning his side a point with a number of top saves.
Both of Saints' clean sheets in the league this season have come with Ramsdale between the sticks, with the England international's return an early Christmas present.
Jarrod Bowen: West Ham's captain has led by example so far this season, with nine goal involvements in all competitions.
The Hammers' most reliable attacking outlet, West Ham will look to Bowen to be both creator-in-chief and their main goal threat when they head to the south coast.
HEAD TO HEAD
Played: 182
Saints: 52
Draws: 49
West Ham: 81
LAST FIVE MEETINGS
April 2023: West Ham 1-0 Saints
October 2022: Saints 1-1 West Ham (Perraud)
March 2022: Saints 3-1 West Ham (Perraud, Ward-Prowse, Broja) FA Cup
December 2021: West Ham 2-3 Saints (Elyounoussi, Ward-Prowse, Bednarek)
September 2021: Saints 0-0 West Ham
DID YOU KNOW?
- This will be Ivan Juric’s first game in charge. He will be the fourth manager whose first ever Premier League match is on Boxing Day, with each of the previous three remaining unbeaten (Roberto Mancini 2-0 v Stoke in 2009, Mikel Arteta 1-1 v Bournemouth in 2019 and Julen Lopetegui 2-1 v Everton in 2022).
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