Southampton vs Sparta Prague preview: What time does it start, where can I watch it live?
A look ahead to the Europa League game at St Marys
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Your support makes all the difference.A look ahead to the Europa League fixture at St Mary's stadium.
Southampton will be hoping to earn their first win of the season when they welcome Sparta Prague to St Mary's. Claude Puel, the new Saints boss, has not had the brightest of starts with his new side, and will be desperate for their first three points.
Sparta Prague finished second in the Czech First League last season and are unbeaten in their last six. However, the Cech side scraped through their qualifying match, eventually winning the match against SønderjyskE 3-2, having gone two goals down.
It’s a big game for…
Claude Peul. The new Southampton manager has the task of trying to replicate the success of the club's past two managers Mauricio Pochettino and Ronald Koeman, who have gone on to manage Tottenham and Everton.
Peul has had a tough start to the season, with his side only managing two draws and two losses from the first four matches.
Best stat…
This is Southampton's first game in the Europa League. They managed to reach the play-off stage last year where they were knocked out by Midtjylland.
Remember when...
Southampton beat Belgium side Anderlecht 2-1 in the 1977 European Cup Winners Cup.
Unfortunately for the Saints, their 2-1 victory was not enough to clinch the quarter-final tie because they had lost 2-0 in the reverse fixture.
Player to watch…
Nathan Redmond. The striker swapped the green and yellow of Norwich for the white and red of Southampton this summer.
The forward got off to a bright start, scoring in the Saints' opening game of the season against Watford. Redmond will be keen to add to his one goal in Europa League football, a goal which he scored to help Birmingham City qualify for the group stage of the competition in 2011.
Form guide…
Southampton: WWDLDL
Sparta Prague: WDWWWD
Vital information…
KICK-OFF TIME: 8.05pm
TV: BT Sport 2.
Odds…
Southampton: 13/20
Sparta Prague: 11/2
DRAW: 16/5
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