Southampton will face Aston Villa this weekend as they look to pull themselves out of the relegation zone. One key battle in particular could decide the final outcome.
On the chalkboard
The Saints are struggling at the bottom of the Premier League table. They have won just four of their 17 matches so far this term, meaning they are in the relegation zone.
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Just one place above them – and on goal difference at that – are the Villans. They too have won just four games up until now, making this a proverbial “relegation six-pointer”. As both sides look for all three points, one battle in particular could decide the match.
Jack Grealish vs Cedric Soares
There haven’t been too many consistent performances for the Midlands outfit so far this campaign, but Jack Grealish is one of them. So far this season, he has a WhoScored rating of 7.31, which is only behind John McGinn in terms of his teammates. He has four goals and four assists so far in the top tier, which sees him top both columns amongst Dean Smith’s men, and with an average 2.5 key passes per match, he is their creative force.
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He has clearly been at his best on the left wing, meaning that he is likely to face Cedric Soares. The 28-year-old Portugal international is capable of top performances – in his first season after joining from Sporting Lisbon, he had an average WhoScored rating of 7.23, whilst he has also won the European Championship in 2016 with his country. However, he has struggled this term as part of a defence that has conceded a league-high 36 goals. Across nine starts, he has a rating of just 6.56 and has often been a weak link, as noticed by the club’s supporters on Twitter.
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There have been some positives, though, with him amassing 2.3 tackles per game, as well as 1.1 interceptions. Against the 24-year-old Villa captain, he will need to be at his best, and will need to reproduce those kind of stats. Grealish has 1.7 dribbles per match, whilst Cedric has been dribbled past 1.3 times per game. That number must be lowered this weekend.
With the pressure on both Smith and Hasenhuttl, this is a must-win game for both. Grealish and Cedric, therefore, could have a big say not only in this fixture, but also in regards to the future of the two bosses.
Meanwhile, one man could play again for his country, says the Southampton boss.