Southampton face a familiar challenge as they host Bolton Wanderers on Saturday, a club they have not beaten in a league match for over two decades. The Saints are winless in their last seven league meetings with Bolton, a run stretching back to 2005, and will aim to end that streak while continuing their strong recent Championship form.
A long-awaited reunion
This weekend's fixture at St Mary's marks the first league clash between the two sides since a 1-1 Premier League draw in April 2005. Both clubs have experienced significant journeys since that day, with Southampton enduring relegation to League One before returning to the top flight, while Bolton dropped as low as League Two during the 2020-21 season. The Trotters have historically enjoyed their trips to the south coast, winning their last two league visits, including a 2-1 victory in August 2004.
The form guide
Russell Martin's Southampton side enter the match in seventh place with 16 points from 10 games, buoyed by a 1-0 away win at Norwich on Monday. Bolton, however, arrive with momentum of their own, having won three of their past four league matches. Their defender Chris Forino-Joseph has been a key figure, leading the entire EFL this season with a duel success rate of 79.3% among players contesting 50 or more challenges.
Southampton have led for 41.9% of their Championship matches this term, the highest percentage in the division, but will need to convert that dominance into a result against a stubborn opponent. The full squad list and player statistics are available on our squad and stats pages. The match kicks off at 3pm BST on Saturday.
