Similar trend and Leeds United must avoid case of Southampton deja vu - YEP 28/3/22
Leeds United will face a side on a very different run of recent form to their own in Saturday’s return to action against Southampton at Elland Road.
By Lee Sobot
The Saints have now lost four in a row - but boss Ralph
Hasenhuttl insisted there was “minimal damage” in the latest defeat which the
Austrian felt showed exactly what his Saints can do.
Jesse Marsch’s fifth-bottom Whites are heading into this
weekend’s return to action seeking a third win on the bounce whereas the
11th-placed Saints are looking to avoid a fifth defeat in succession.
Southampton have not won in the league since beating bottom
side Norwich City 2-0 at St Mary’s on the final Friday of February but the
Saints followed the triumph with a 3-1 success at home to West Ham in the FA
Cup fourth round.
The south coast side’s FA Cup run was then ended on the
Sunday before the current international break as all conquering Manchester City
left St Mary’s with a 4-1 success.
The defeat followed a 2-1 reverse at home to Watford,
another 2-1 home defeat against Newcastle United and a 4-0 loss at Aston Villa
for three league defeats in a row.
But the Saints remain six points clear of Leeds with a game
in hand and Hasenhuttl was upbeat about his side after their cup defeat to
City.
Raheem Sterling had fired the visitors into a 12th-minute
lead but the Saints levelled on the stroke of half time through an Aymeric
Laporte own goal.
City then hit back after the break as a Kevin De Bruyne
penalty was followed by strikes from Phil Foden and Riyad Mahrez but Hasenhuttl
was looking at the positive when considering the opposition.
“I think there is minimal damage from this,” said the Saints
boss, as quoted by Hampshire Live.
“We can be proud of what we have done.
"I haven’t seen so many teams play like this against
Manchester City and this was very positive.
"It shows what we are able to do.
"I think we did a really good job for a long time, but
not long enough and not clinical enough in the defence and in the offense, and
this was the difference between the two teams.”
Hasenhuttl’s side held City to a goalless draw at the Etihad
back in September and again took a point against Pep Guardiola’s side in the
reverse fixture at the end of January via a 1-1 draw, James Ward-Prowse on
target for the hosts.
Ward-Prowse and Armando Broja have netted six goals apiece
this term, one behind top scorer Che Adams who has bagged seven.
Mohamed Elyounoussi has also weighed in with four.
When it comes to assists, Nathan Redmond leads the way on
five, one more than Ward-Prowse, and Redmond was the creator of the goal that
sunk the Whites at St Mary’s in September.
Southampton approached the game sat fourth-bottom and still
seeking their first league win of the new campaign at the eighth attempt.
Leeds had six players missing including Raphinha after his
return from international duty with Brazil and Marcelo Bielsa’s Whites served
up just three shots and not a single effort on target.
Hasenhuttl’s side had 19 attempts, five of which were on
target, and Broja netted the only goal of the game from a Redmond cutback.
Another seven victories have followed although four and a
half weeks have now passed since the Saints savoured their last taste of
success in the league.
Unlike last time, Leeds must now ensure that the south
coast’s current barren run is this time extended a little longer.
