Southampton started the season as one of the trio of relegated teams from the Premier League, so they were immediately installed as one of the favourites to secure promotion from the Championship this term.
With new manager Russell Martin, the Saints got off to a great start, and following a sticky patch, they’re back on track and still hopeful of their chances.
Of the three teams relegated from the top flight in May, it was Leicester City and Southampton who were seen as the two leading candidates for automatic promotion from the Championship in 2023/24, with Leeds an outfit some weren’t sure about due to the exit of key players. After eleven games, Leicester are favourites when looking at Championship football betting markets to achieve their aim as they sit pretty at the top of the league.
Southampton, meanwhile, are off the pace in tenth, eleven points adrift of newly promoted Ipswich Town in second. But you can’t write them off just yet because they’re still in with a chance, and a lot of this will come down to the players being more efficient in executing precisely what Martin’s asking of them heading into games.
The Saints started the Championship season in style, winning three of their first four and drawing 4-4 away at Norwich. But after the window closed, and further exists happened, such as Nathan Tella joining Bayer Leverkusen, the team’s form fell off a cliff, with four defeats in a row, which ironically also included a 5-0 reverse at the hands of Sunderland, who the Saints had just signed striker Ross Stewart from.
Hope was beginning to fade, and trust in Martin was evaporating, but Southampton showed resolve and bounced back by defeating an in-form Leeds team and Stoke before drawing 1-1 against Rotherham, a game they should have won. This resolve and the fact that the Saints have stayed true to their beliefs, even during the four-game losing streak, make them one of the most dangerous outfits in the league.
The dominance that Southampton show in terms of possession, even against the best teams in the division, ultimately means they’ll always be in with a chance during games. The Saints have a not-so-secret weapon up their sleeve, and this, or he, could prove to be the difference between success and failure this season in the promotion race.
Adam Armstrong has started the campaign on fire, with seven goals scored so far, making him the league’s joint-top scorer. Southampton bought the pacey attacker from Blackburn following a season where he netted a remarkable twenty-eight goals in the second tier, and if he gets close to that number this term, Martin’s men will be there or thereabouts.
And there’s also the January transfer window to consider. Martin will be backed, especially if Southampton are in and around it. If he can add more players who fit his style, then they will be more than capable of putting the sort of run together that sees them at least challenge for the automatic as intended.
Founder and Editor-in-Chief at The Real EFL, Gary is a passionate Lincoln City fan with extensive content creation across the Championship and EFL. He also shares expert football betting tips.
