Preview:Southampton vs Sheffield Wednesday - prediction, team news, lineups

Aiming to make it back-to-back victories following the departure of Will Still, Southampton will welcome Sheffield Wednesday to St Mary's on Saturday.

The hosts climbed to 19th spot in the Championship with a return to winning ways in midweek, while their hosts sit at the foot of the table on -4 points following a deduction as a result of entering administration.

Match preview

Southampton return to action at St Mary's on Saturday in search of back-to-back Championship victories for the first time this season.

After suffering relegation from the Premier League in 20th spot last time around and appointing Will Still over the summer, they endured a poor start to the campaign in the second tier, earning just 15 points from their first 13 games.

That culminated in three consecutive defeats to Bristol City, Blackburn Rovers and Preston North End most recently last weekend, spelling the end of Still's tenure as they dropped to 21st spot in a season in which they set out to make an immediate return to the top flight.

Then under the temporary charge of Tonda Eckert, the Saints visited Queens Park Rangers on Tuesday and ended a five-match winless run with a 2-1 triumph, having gone 2-0 up in the second half through Jay Robinson and Leo Scienza and stood strong in the final 10 minutes after Rumarn Burrell pulled one back for the hosts.

Having now climbed to 19th spot in the Championship, within four points of the top half, and rebuilt confidence with that return to winning ways, Southampton will now bid to record a second straight three-point haul under Eckert on Saturday.

Their visitors, meanwhile, make the trip south with optimism of their own, albeit in a bid to end an eight-match winless run.

In a season which was already set to be a tough one due to financial off-field issues, Sheffield Wednesday's survival hopes took another major hit in October as the club entered administration and suffered a 12-point deduction.

That arguably did give the club hope, though, spelling the end of the unpopular former ownership, and after moving onto -6 points, they have since managed a pair of creditable draws heading into Saturday's trip.

A visit to West Bromwich Albion ended in a goalless stalemate, before Henrik Pedersen's side hosted Norwich City and shared the points, having led early through Barry Bannan and been pegged back by a Mathias Kvistgaarden leveller on the hour mark.

While they do find themselves rooted to the bottom of the division and 17 points adrift of safety in the midst of their administration, Sheffield Wednesday boast renewed optimism around Hillsborough and will hope to lift spirits further with a major scalp on the road on Saturday.

Southampton Championship form:

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Sheffield Wednesday Championship form:

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Team News

Southampton may be unchanged from their midweek return to winning ways, with Shea Charles, Elias Jelert, Samuel Edozie and Ross Stewart remaining confined to the treatment room.

Jack Stephens, Taylor Harwood-Bellis and Nathan Wood should continue in a back three, while Gavin Bazunu regained the number-one spot from Alex McCarthy under Tonda Eckert.

In the absence of Charles, Caspar Jander should again join Flynn Downes in midfield, with returning Oriol Romeu likely not yet fit to feature, while Leo Scienza and Jay Robinson will keep their places in the attack alongside Adam Armstrong after their midweek goals despite competition from the likes of Finn Azaz and Damion Downs.

Sheffield Wednesday will also avoid wholesale changes after their midweek draw, with the thin squad hit further by ongoing injuries to Pierce Charles, Di'Shon Bernard, Ernie Weaver, Nathaniel Chalobah, Olaf Kobacki and George Brown.

Baily Cadamarteri may be handed a spot in attack, though, likely displacing Ike Ugbo and joining Jamal Lowe.

Liam Palmer and Max Lowe are bound to again join Dominic Iorfa, while Yan Valery and Svante Ingelsson will feature alongside talisman Barry Bannan in midfield.

Southampton possible starting lineup:

Bazunu; Stephens, Wood, Harwood-Bellis; Fellows, Jander, Downes, Manning; Scienza, Armstrong, Robinson

Sheffield Wednesday possible starting lineup:

Horvath; Palmer, Iorfa, M Lowe; Fusire, Valery, Bannan, Ingelsson, Amass; J Lowe, Cadamarteri

We say: Southampton 2-0 Sheffield Wednesday

While Sheffield Wednesday have fought valiantly despite their limited squad thus far, we do not see them having enough to match a rejuvenated and strong Southampton side in Saturday's trip.

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