Take a read of our match preview ahead of Southampton's Barclays Premier League clash with Sunderland AFC at St Mary's on Saturday.
Southampton will be looking to bounce back from defeats to Chelsea and AFC Bournemouth when Sunderland AFC visit St Mary’s on Saturday.
A run of six games unbeaten was ended a week ago by Chelsea, before the Cherries took all three points in the midweek meeting at Vitality Stadium.
Ronald Koeman’s side – who have lost just one game at home in the league since the beginning of December – will hope for a lift when the Black Cats visit.
The visitors head to St Mary’s on the back of a draw with Crystal Palace in midweek, a game in which Fabio Borini’s late strike secured a point for Sam Allardyce’s side.
The point ensures the Black Cats head into the weekend outside of the relegation zone on goal difference, level on points with both Norwich City and Newcastle United below them.
Last season, Saints produced a memorable display to beat Sunderland 8-0 at St Mary’s – their biggest ever Premier League win, while earlier this season Dušan Tadić’s penalty sealed a 1-0 victory at the Stadium of Light.
Ronald Koeman says Shane Long and Charlie Austin will not be available for this weekend’s game, while Jay Rodriguez and Florin Gardos are still out. Victor Wanyama serves the fourth game of his five-match suspension.
Lee Cattermole, Jeremain Lens and Duncan Watmore are expected to be missing for Sunderland, but defender John O’Shea is likely to be fit despite coming off in the game against Crystal Palace.
After arriving in January 2015 and helping Sunderland survive in the Premier League last season, Jermain Defoe has continued his impressive goalscoring form.
The former Portsmouth striker has scored 13 goals in his 25 appearances so far this season, including hat-tricks against Exeter City and Swansea City.
The 33 year-old last scored against Liverpool in a 2-2 draw at Anfield in early February, with seven of his goals this season coming away from home.
With Duncan Watmore out inured and Steven Fletcher out on loan, pressure will fall on the shoulders of Defoe to keep the Black Cats in the Premier League.
Sunderland suffered their worst ever Premier League defeat in this fixture last season (0-8).
Southampton have lost just one of their previous six Premier League meetings with Sunderland (W2 D3 L1).
The Black Cats have kept the joint-fewest clean sheets in the Premier League this season (three, along with Norwich City).
Southampton have not won any of the last 11 matches in which the opposition have scored first (D3 L8).
Southampton have fired in a league-high 501 open play crosses so far this season.
Southampton lead the way in terms of headed goals this season, with Ronald Koeman’s side having scored 11 times from headers. On the other hand, Sunderland have scored the joint-fewest headed goals in the top flight (two).
There is now limited availability for Southampton's game against Sunderland. Book tickets here.
You can follow all the action from Saturday's game via the club’s social media channels. We’ll have live updates on Twitter, goal updates on Facebook and a liveblog running on saintsfc.co.uk .
After the game, we’ll have reaction on youtube.com/southamptonfc, as well as saintsfc.co.uk .
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