Southampton’s recent wobble in the Championship has cost them ground in the automatic promotion fight, and recent developments at the club suggest they may face far more serious challenges in their Premier League campaign.
The Saints lost three of their four Championship games after going 21 games unbeaten in the second tier against surprise opponents Bristol City, Hull City, and Millwall, stunning their fanbase and leaving them behind in the promotion chase.
They have a mountain to climb, but with some luck, it will be an easy one, and they still hope to return to the Premier League.
However, recent developments have done all possible to derail their momentum, with Ipswich and Leeds looking to capitalize.
Why Southampton have a huge April problem to deal with
With the game against Preston North finish postponed due to a fire breaking out immediately outside of St. Mary’s, Saints’ fixtures are stacking up in the coming weeks – and that is the last thing any club needs as the season comes to a finish.
Not only was their match against league leaders Leicester on March 15th rescheduled until April 23rd, but the international break means players will have to wait three weeks until their next game, against Middlesbrough on March 29.
Effectively, they will have nine games to play over the course of April’s 30 days and the first weekend of May; based on their Championship fixture list, the Preston reschedule is likely to occur on either April 16th or April 30th, requiring them to play once every three days for the duration of the month.
Of course, it doesn’t help Leicester or Preston, but two postponed games in a week are bad news for any club, let alone one in the midst of a late automatic promotion drive. It will be a mental and physical test for the players with a tremendous workload, making their task of returning to the Premier League at the first attempt much more difficult.
How Ipswich Town and Leeds United could capitalise on Southampton’s dilemma
The explanation is very obvious: not only will Ipswich and Leeds have more time to prepare for their games on the training ground, but they will also be far more lively than their south coast counterparts. Ipswich may bear the brunt of the pressure at first because they face Southampton early in the season, but if the Tractor Boys can escape defeat to the Saints, it will put them in excellent stead for a difficult run through April.
Leeds have it better; they face Southampton on the final day, and with Russell Martin having to manage major weariness throughout his squad at a time when they may be under enormous strain, the Whites will believe they have the advantage. Furthermore, if there is anything at stake on the final day for either team, Leeds’ extra spring in their step could be decisive.
How Southampton’s run-in could shape their season
Southampton’s run-in looks good on paper. Home games against Coventry, Watford, and Stoke City might be banana skins, with at least Coventry and Stoke having something to play for, whereas away travels to Blackburn Rovers and Cardiff City aren’t the worst set of games you could wish for on the road.
But it is the last day of the season game against Leeds that will strike fear in the hearts of the Saints fans. It’s possible that a winner-takes-all battle may ensue, and if that happens, fingernails will be chewed.
