Match pack: Saints v Swansea

THE GAME

Saints v Swansea City
Emirates FA Cup
St. Mary’s Stadium
Sunday 12 January 4:30pm GMT

THE OFFICIALS

Referee: Tony Harrington
Assistant referees: Marc Perry and Sian Massey-Ellis
Fourth official: Gavin Ward

WHAT IS AT STAKE?

Sunday’s game offers Ivan Jurić’s side a much-needed break from the Premier League and a return to St Mary’s in the Emirates FA Cup with the chance to build some confidence and momentum for their busy domestic schedule.

Visitors Swansea currently sit 12th in the Championship and will also view Sunday’s third round clash as an opportunity to move on after two wins, two defeats and a draw in their last five games.

The Saints have progressed through this stage of the competition in each of the last five seasons and will therefore be looking to continue their recent record.

TEAM NEWS

Jurić vowed to field his strongest team in this weekend’s FA Cup opener, saying: “We are working hard to find our identity and we will see on Sunday how hard we have worked.”

Defender Armel Bella-Kotchap has trained as part of the group again but the manager remained tight-lipped on his return, saying: “We’ll see.”

THE MANAGERS

Ivan Jurić: “I think the players are working hard and well and I think we have to find a way to be a lot more competitive. We are working hard to find our identity and we will see how hard we have worked on Sunday.”

“I think for us (the FA Cup) is really important. We need the joy of playing good games. Everything is important to us at this moment.”

Luke Williams: “We will show respect to the competition, that’s for sure. It’s a change and a chance for glory.”

“That’s what the cup is about and I hope we can offer our fans something exciting. It’s a chance to spice things up and offer different experiences, and we have that chance.”

TOP GOALS

Southampton

Goals:
Cameron Archer 5
Armstrong, Harwood-Bellis 3
Dibling, Aribo, Fernandes, Bree 2

Supports:
Mateus Fernandes 3
Armstrong, Dibling, Walker-Peters, Lallana, Taylor 2
Sugawara, Kamaldeen 1

Swansea

Goals:
Liam Cullen 9
Zan Vipotnik 4
Seven players 2

Supports:
Ronald 6
Darling, Tymon, Peart-Harris 3
Key, Eom, Cooper 2

ONE TO WATCH

Mateus Fernandes: Saints must win the midfield battle if they are to assert their authority against Swansea from the outset. The ball-carrying Portuguese international Fernandes will play a key role.

The 20-year-old is averaging 2.83 progressive carries per 90 minutes this season, placing him in the top four percent of players at his position among position peers in the men’s Big 5 leagues, UCL and UEL over the last 365 days .

Ronald: An exciting young midfielder who can play on either wing, the Brazilian has contributed seven assists for Luke Williams’ side this season.

Ronald is coming up on a year in Wales and with an average WhoScored? attend. Rating just under 7 this season, proving to be a constant threat.

HEAD TO HEAD

Played: 75
Saints: 38
Draws: 16
Swansea: 21

LAST FIVE MEETINGS

January 2024: Swansea 1-3 Saints (Adams, Smallbone, Downes)
December 2023: Saints 5-0 Swansea (Fraser 2, Aribo, Edozie, Adams)
January 2022: Swansea 2-3 Saints (Redmond, Elyounoussi, Long) FA Cup
May 2018: Swansea 0-1 Saints (Gabbiadini)
August 2017: Saints 0-0 Swansea

DID YOU KNOW?

– The Saints have won each of their last five FA Cup third round games since exiting in a replay against Derby County in 2018/19.

– Swansea have lost each of their last four meetings with the Saints in all competitions, losing 5-0 on their last visit to St Mary’s in December 2023.

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