Southampton seek first Championship points against Stoke in 2026/27

Southampton, starting the season on minus four points, host Stoke City at St Mary’s Stadium on Saturday in the second round of the 2026/27 Sky Bet Championship. Stoke also began with a defeat, losing 2-1 at home to Swansea City, leaving both teams searching for their first league points.

A Southampton victory would reduce the club’s deficit to minus one before another home fixture against Millwall the following weekend. The Saints opened their campaign with a 2-1 loss at Watford, despite Cyle Larin scoring, and then responded with a 2-0 Carabao Cup win over Colchester, with Larin again on the scoresheet.

Head coach Tonda Eckert has confirmed Finn Azaz will start after making an impression as a substitute against Colchester and Watford. Caspar Jander remains unavailable while recovering from injury, although there are no additional fitness concerns in the Southampton squad. Eckert has urged his players to respond quickly to the opening-day setback and produce a winning performance.

Stoke could bring Bosun Lawal back into contention, while Lamine Cissé is also a possible selection. New arrivals George Hirst and Ben Johnson may make their debuts if they were registered in time, but Aaron Cresswell remains out with a long-term injury. Sorba Thomas is a key attacking option after recording 23 goal contributions last season and earning a place in the Championship Team of the Season.

The recent head-to-head record is closely balanced. Stoke won 2-1 at St Mary’s in August 2025, while Southampton won 2-0 in the reverse fixture in January 2026. Southampton also won the teams’ 2023 meeting, but Stoke took the league points in April 2024.

Saturday’s match begins at 3pm BST, with Steve Martin as referee and Sam Lewis and Conall Bartlett as his assistants. Southampton will wear red and white stripes, black shorts and black socks, while Stoke are expected in an all-blue away kit. The game will be available internationally on Saints Play, excluding the UK and Nordic regions.