Southampton start the weekend’s Premier League football as they welcome Manchester United to St Mary’s in Saturday’s early kick-off .
Russell Martin will have spent the international break pondering what has gone wrong for Southampton so far as they have lost all three of their league games of the new campaign.
To make matters worse, Yukinari Sugawara’s late strike in the 3-1 defeat to Brentford last match was the only league goal the Saints scored in their first three fixtures.
Clearly something needs to change and this could see Martin act drastically having largely trusted the players who were at the club last season so far.
Southampton team and injury news for Man Utd clash
In terms of injuries, Gavin Bazunu remains a long-term absentee from the Achilles injury he suffered in April.
The only other two concerns Martin has is the fitness of Kamaldeen Sulemana and Ross Stewart.
Sulemana has been out injured since sustaining an ankle problem against Oxford United in pre-season but could be reintegrated following a failed move to Ajax.
However, Martin confirmed in his pre-Manchester United press-conference that Sulemana is the only player other than Bazunu definitely ruled out against the Red Devils.
Stewart has made just four substitute appearance since signing in summer 2023 but has been spotted in training as he slowly eases his way towards a return.
The 27-year-old is unlikely to feature against Manchester United but Martin may be targeting the Carabao Cup tie against Everton on September 17th for Stewart’s return.
Southampton predicted lineup for Manchester United
So far in the league this season Martin has set his side up in a 3-5-2 formation form the start of games but given the poor run and time on the training pitch we could see him revert to the 4-3-3 he favoured last campaign.
£25 million Deadline Day signing Aaron Ramsdale will make his home debut in goal, with the switch to a back four meaning a centre-back will have to drop out the side.
Martin also has a decision to make at full-back as Sugawara and Kyle Walker-Peters have been two of Southampton’s better performers playing at wingback on either side but the fact both prefer to play on the right may unbalance a back four.
Assuming Martin still believes the two right-backs are his best full-back options, it could be Taylor Harwood-Bellis who drops out the side as the experience of Jan Bednarek and Jack Stephens is favoured.
Flynn Downes should anchor the midfield and 18-year-old Tyler Dibling could be handed his first Premier League start ahead of him as his impressive form becomes increasingly difficult to ignore.
That leaves one spot in the midfield three.
If Martin wants to be more solid against United he could play Chelsea loanee Lesley Ugochukwu alongside Downes with Dibling in front.
However, perhaps the most likely option is Joe Aribo, who has outperformed Will Smallbone since the step up to the top flight.
The change to a 4-3-3 will likely see Adam Armstrong return to the right wing position in which he thrived last season, with Ben Brereton Diaz on the left.
That could mean a first league start for summer signing Cameron Archer after he netted a brace in the Carabao Cup win over Cardiff City, with the former Aston Villa man playing through the middle.
With the Deadline Day arrivals of wingers Ryan Fraser and Maxwel Cornet, if it is not working then Martin now has good options to change things.
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