Southampton V West Ham Sky Bet Championship Match 15 -September 2013. Southampton boss Mauricio Pochettino has no new injury concerns to worry about.
He is likely to continue with record signing Dani Osvaldo alongside Rickie Lambert in attack.Watch Southampton V West Ham Live, Watch Southampton V West Ham Live Stream, Watch Southampton V West Ham Free Live Stream, Watch Southampton V West Ham Online, Watch Southampton V West Ham Online Free, Southampton V West Ham Live, Southampton V West Ham live stream Online.
West Ham were hit by the news this week that their record purchase Andy Carroll is likely to be out until the new year.
New signing Mladen Petric is not yet match fit, and Joe Cole, Stuart Downing and George McCartney are all missing through injury.
MATCH PREVIEW
In his 200th appearance for Southampton, Ricky Lambert searches for his 200th career league goal to cap a wonderful start to the season for the man who used to supplement his part-time football earnings with work in a beetroot bottling plant.
The Saints will hope he hasn't returned from the Ukraine too jaded. They need him at his best, having scored just four goals in their last eight Premier League matches.
West Ham have been struggling to find the net too - just 12 goals in their last 11 games - and with their whole attacking style focused on Andy Carroll, they will badly miss the injured centre-forward. They're not a side that likes to play pretty passing football through midfield. The Hammers have attempted fewer passes than any other side in the Premier League this season and have the worst passing accuracy. They look to get it forward or wide early with Carroll the target for the final ball in.
New signing Mladen Petric, who looked to be in the autumn of his career at Fulham, and Modigo Maiga, who's been hit and miss so far - or even young Elliott Lee - don't seem to carry much threat for the Saints to worry about.
Southampton will provide a contrasting style. They will try and get the ball down and play. They've only failed to dominate possession in one league game under Mauricco Pochettino, who has added a bit of aggression to the squad with the arrival of Pablo Osvaldo. The £15m striker could be the difference between the sides.
West Ham haven't won away in six months. They failed to register a shot on target against Stoke in their last game and, although the Saints nearly always seem to concede at home (and I fancy Kevin Nolan to get one), I can't see the Irons getting enough in this one.
Southampton, who deserve rich praise for their development of home-grown English talent, should take this and consolidate a decent start to the campaign.
MATCH FACTS
Head-to-head
Their two matches last season ended 1-1 at St Mary's while West Ham thrashed the Saints 4-1 at Upton Park in October.
That defeat meant Southampton had conceded an incredible 24 goals in their first eight matches of last season.
This is the 98th meeting between the sides, Southampton have won 32, West Ham 37 and there have been 28 draws.
West Ham boss Sam Allardyce is unbeaten in nine Premier League meetings with Southampton (W3 D6).
Southampton
The Saints have lost just two of their last 10 league matches at home. Before this weekend's fixtures, Southampton had committed more fouls per game on average (17) than any other top-flight side this season.
In their last match against Norwich, only record signing Dani Osvaldo managed to register a shot on target for the Saints.
Midfielder James Ward-Prowse has averaged more crosses per game (4.7) than any other player in the Premier League so far this campaign.
West Ham
Before the start of the weekend's matches, the Hammers have attempted fewer passes (938) than any other top-flight side - and had the lowest pass completion rate so far (72.4%).
They have had just five shots on target in total in their three matches so far, and managed zero against Stoke in their last game.
The Hammers have won only one of their last 15 Premier League away games (D4 L10).