Southampton travel to face West Ham this weekend with Premier League referee Michael Salisbury in charge, a selection that has raised concerns given his past record with the club. The 41-year-old official will oversee the Championship clash at London Stadium on Saturday afternoon. The match, on Saturday 24 October, pits the Saints against a West Ham side currently second in the table.

Michael Salisbury said: "I have been chosen to take charge of West Ham United's match against Southampton on Saturday." His appointment brings a statistical history that Saints supporters find troubling.

Salisbury's record with Saints

That solitary victory was a 2-1 win over Leicester City in 2022. The other nine matches under his whistle resulted in one draw and six defeats, including a 3-1 loss to Tottenham Hotspur in April 2025. In contrast, West Ham have won three of the eight games he has refereed for them. The last meeting with West Ham ended in a 3-1 defeat for Southampton on 30 September.

The Championship context

This fixture carries significant weight in the promotion race. Southampton currently sit eighth in the Championship with 17 points from 11 games, a position that represents the final play-off spot. They are six points behind league leaders Swansea. Their record this season stands at six wins, three draws and two losses, having scored 21 goals and conceded 10. Their most recent outing was a 0-0 draw at home to Bolton on Saturday 17 October, a result that extended their recent form to three wins, one draw and one loss from their last five matches. This sequence includes a 1-0 win at Norwich on 14 October, a 1-0 victory over Portsmouth on 11 October, a 2-1 loss at Wrexham on 19 September, and a 4-1 win over Bristol City on 12 September.

The Saints face a West Ham side sitting second in the table, just one point off the top. The teams met earlier this season in the Carabao Cup, with the Hammers securing a 4-1 victory at St Mary's in September. Their last league encounter ended in a 2-2 draw during the 2024/25 Premier League campaign. Southampton's top scorer Cyle Larin, with seven goals in 11 appearances this season, will be a key figure as they look to improve their record under this official. The match kicks off at 3pm BST on Saturday.

This story first appeared at football.london