Russell Martin will look to extend Southampton’s unbeaten run to nine matches next weekend when he takes his side to the John Smith’s Stadium to face Huddersfield Town.
Francis Benali, a former full-back for Southampton, believes Russell Martin’s squad must not undervalue Huddersfield Town when they play next Saturday.
The Saints are fourth in the standings and have won eight straight games, while the Terriers are now ranked 21st in the Championship and have only won once in their previous 10 games.
Despite this, Benali, who spent 16 years with Southampton and made 373 appearances for the team, believes his old team cannot be led to believe that their opponents would give up on them the next weekend.
“I am really excited about the upcoming games at the end of the international break,” Benali stated in a Daily Echo essay. Securing fourth place provides a strong platform for pursuing additional significant outcomes as the year draws to a close.
“Everyone must be in peak physical shape for our league trip to Huddersfield the following Saturday. Table seems like Huddersfield is down in 21st place. Although it would appear to be an easy match on paper, the Championship doesn’t operate that way as we all know. Everyone will need to be fully recovered in time for the next game.”
With their current winning streak, Saints have decisively recovered from a terrible September in which they dropped four straight games and significantly slowed down their progress towards the automatic promotion slots.
Their comeback has featured thrilling late triumphs away at Hull City and Millwall as well as outstanding wins at home against promotion contenders Leeds United and West Bromwich Albion.
Ross Stewart’s injured comeback has also helped Russell Martin; the Scottish striker made his Saints debut by coming off the bench against the Baggies at St Mary’s. Benali believes the former Sunderland attacker will make a significant contribution to Southampton’s season now that he is healthy after he joined the team in the summer due to an Achilles tendon injury.
“It’s been brilliant to see the club in a great run of form, which has made up for the disappointment of four back-to-back defeats in September,” said the 54-year-old. “We’re well-prepared for the hectic stretch of games left in the year, having won six and drawn two of our eight games.
Numerous encouraging indicators have emerged, such as Ross Stewart’s eagerly anticipated debut after his injury. He will greatly strengthen the club and intensify the battle for spots on the roster, all of which are positive things.”
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