City return to Championship action on Saturday on the South Coast
Southampton head coach Tonda Eckert has not seen a league win in the last six games(Image: Matt Watson/Southampton FC via Getty Images)
Former Southampton midfielder David Prutton believes Hull City can take advantage of the strange atmosphere that has engulfed St Mary’s this season.
Saints have endured a difficult first season back in the Championship following relegation from the Premier League, and were beaten 3-1 by City back in September.
City, who dropped out of the top six after their game with Watford was postponed shortly before kick-off, are eight points above Southampton, with the South Coast club wallowing in 16th place, though they’ll arrive with a squad ravaged by injuries and only 11 senior players available.
After an initial resurgence following the departure of Will Still and arrival of Tonda Eckert, the Saints have lost three and drawn three of their last six in the league, though they did survive a scare to hold onto a 3-2 success at Doncaster Rovers in the FA Cup at the weekend.
Sergej Jakirovic’s Tigers, meanwhile, have won three and drawn the other in their last four on the road, including a fine 1-0 success at Middlesbrough in their last road trip, who beat Southampton 4-0 in the last round of second-tier games.
“Yes, we talk about injuries and the personnel that they will have available, but there’s not a team in this division that I’ve seen that Hull City should be remotely fearful of. Concerned, yes, mindful of, but not fearful and Southampton very definitely fall into that category,” Prutton told the 1904 Club podcast.
“The atmosphere, at times, has been a bit of a strange one. Never overtly vociferous. I think it’s a game City fans should be looking forward to.
“I’ve played down there, I’ve played against teams down there, this season, that atmosphere, there’s nothing intimidating in that at all. City’s approach to the game, not necessarily to just sit in and wait to counter-attack, but be happy enough with Southampton moving the ball around, I think, fits into what they’ve been very, very good at, at the very best this season, City, isn’t it?
“Breaking with pace, breaking with efficiency and tenacity, and being able to see a team off, on the counter-attack, so, I think that’s the way that City approach it.”
You can listen to the full episode with Baz, Prutts, Burnsy and Kathryn right here
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