The Saints face the Cherries in the New Forest derby, but for many Southampton fans, the bigger rivalry is over who has the best trees in their half of the forest!
Judging by Saints fans on social media, after Portsmouth, most seem to direct their animosity toward Liverpool, followed by the rest of the “Big 7” in varying degrees.
For many at St Mary’s today, this is just another match in a tough season. Most will be puzzled as to why Bournemouth fans call us “Scummers” or believe there’s a rivalry.
Expect the away section to be loud about “sending Scummers down,” although Southampton’s struggles this season stem from a variety of factors—certainly not just two matches against Bournemouth. Unless Russell Martin has been taking tactical advice from Bournemouth supporters, they’ve had no more hand in our fate than any other team.
That said, Ivan Juric may well have picked his Burnley cup lineup based on an online poll, so who knows if he’ll do the same again. Will he go with four full-backs and one central defender again? If not, who will partner Jan Bednarek in the heart of defense, and how will the rest of the team shape up?
Expect changes from the Burnley lineup—how many is the real question. The back line seems predictable: Kyle Walker-Peters, Jan Bednarek, AN Other, and Wellington.
In midfield, Big Les Ugochukwu, Mateus Fernandes, and Joe Aribo should be automatic choices.
The real uncertainty lies in the attacking four. Who will play wide? Who will lead the line? Or will we see something different?
Kamaldeen Sulemana brings pace but still hasn’t shown consistency or settled into a position. Is he a winger or a striker? Right now, it’s anyone’s guess.
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