Darren Bond will referee Southampton’s home match against Brighton, the Premier League has confirmed. Bond previously officiated Southampton’s thrilling Carabao Cup win over Everton.
The dust from Southampton’s recent derby defeat is beginning to settle, and another home game looms on the horizon. While the Saints would usually look forward to a new Premier League weekend with optimism, their next opponent is far from an easy task.
This time, it’s Brighton—a team that falls into the same emerging top-flight category as Nottingham Forest and Bournemouth. For any Southampton fan following the current campaign, they’ll know the Seagulls have already managed a win and a draw against those two clubs.
Given Brighton’s form, a Southampton victory seems unlikely. However, there is still a glimmer of hope for at least sharing the points or even securing a narrow win.
Interestingly, that hope isn’t rooted in strategy but rather good fortune. Southampton’s Carabao Cup run was much more impressive compared to their league performances this season.
Southampton will be pleased by the Premier League’s recent referee announcement for their tough fixture. Darren Bond, who officiated their thrilling Carabao Cup win over Everton, will be in charge of the Brighton clash.
As Sussex World pointed out, Bond has overseen two Southampton games this season—their penalty win over Everton and a narrow 1-0 defeat to Aston Villa in December.
In both matches, the Saints were in a similarly out-of-form situation. Despite that, they held Everton to a draw before the penalty shootout, a result that could inspire them to perform well again.
These factors suggest Southampton could turn things around on Saturday. Every Premier League team has its quirks when it comes to certain referees, and Darren Bond’s presence could just be a lucky charm for the Saints.
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