West Ham United vS Southampton

West Ham United will be looking to break their recent winless streak in the Premier League when they face already-relegated Southampton at the London Stadium on Saturday afternoon. The Hammers have gone five league matches without a victory and will be eager to turn their fortunes around against a struggling Saints side. Their last league triumph over Southampton came back in the 2019-20 season, but they did manage a narrow 1-0 win in the reverse fixture at St Mary’s in December, thanks to a second-half goal from Jarrod Bowen.

Graham Potter’s side had shown signs of improvement with consecutive victories over Arsenal and Leicester City in late February, but their form has since dipped. Over their last five Premier League outings, they have alternated between defeats and draws, with their most recent setback being a 2-1 loss to league leaders Liverpool last weekend. For a brief moment, it seemed West Ham might snatch a valuable point at Anfield when Andrew Robertson’s own goal leveled the score with just four minutes remaining. However, Liverpool captain Virgil van Dijk dashed those hopes with a powerful header moments later, sealing a dramatic win for the Reds and handing Potter his sixth defeat in twelve league games since taking charge in January.

Despite their recent struggles, West Ham remain well clear of the relegation battle, sitting 14 points above the drop zone in 17th place. A win against Southampton would almost certainly secure their Premier League status for another season, extending their stay in the top flight to an impressive 13 consecutive years. Additionally, they are just three points behind Everton in 13th, meaning a strong finish to the campaign could see them climb higher up the table.

Historically, West Ham have enjoyed success against Southampton, losing just once in their last twelve Premier League meetings (winning eight and drawing three). Their sole defeat in that stretch came in December 2021 when they suffered a 3-2 loss at home. However, Potter will be keen to address his team’s inconsistent home form, as they have only managed two wins in their last seven league matches at the London Stadium (drawing one and losing four), failing to score in four of those games.

For Southampton, this match marks their first since the confirmation of their relegation and the departure of manager Ivan Juric. Their interim boss, Simon Rusk, oversaw a disappointing 3-0 defeat to Aston Villa last weekend, extending what has been a dismal season. The Saints have now lost 26 of their 32 Premier League matches this campaign—the most defeats they have ever suffered in a single league season in their 139-year history. Their current loss rate of 81% is also the worst ever recorded by any team in a top-flight season.

Southampton’s struggles have seen them rooted to the bottom of the table for a total of 170 days this term—their longest spell in last place in a single season. Over their last two Premier League campaigns, they have spent a staggering 60% of the time in 20th position (324 out of 544 days as of April 19). Rusk’s immediate task is to restore some pride in the final six matches of the season while also ensuring the club avoids setting an unwanted record. They currently need two more points to surpass Derby County’s infamous lowest-ever Premier League points total of 11, set in the 2007-08 season.

Despite their overall poor record against West Ham—winning just five of their last 23 league meetings—Southampton have had some success in away fixtures, including a 3-2 victory at the London Stadium in December 2021 under former manager Ralph Hasenhuttl. Rusk will hope his side can channel that performance as they look to end a miserable season on a slightly more positive note.

With both teams in need of a result for different reasons, Saturday’s clash promises to be an intriguing encounter. West Ham will be desperate to end their winless run and secure survival, while Southampton will be playing for pride and a chance to avoid further historical lows.