Key events
Southampton 0-0 Portsmouth
“One team in Hampshire,” they’re singing. Presumably both sets of fans.
Southampton 0-0 Portsmouth
It’s been Portsmouth who have played some of the better football, only for Saints to lift the pressure, with Flynn Downes and James Ward-Prowse to the fore. They’re looking for Cyle Larin at all times. Jayden Meghoma lashes a shot wide for Pompey when he had better options in the middle.
Our weekend previews of the Premier League matches today:
In Sergej Jakirovic and David Moyes, Hull City and Everton boast two of the more “pragmatic” managers in the Premier League. Renowned for their safety-first defensive styles, both teams are happy to surrender possession, rank among the top flight’s lowest sides in pass completion rates, and rely on rapid transitions and set pieces for a major share of their total expected goals. A game featuring two defences that pride themselves on their obduracy may well be settled by a well-delivered dead ball into a packed penalty area. While it may not be aesthetically pleasing, expect to see the massed ranks of defenders on both sides spending much of Sunday afternoon bracing themselves for rearguard action while peering towards the sky. The last time these sides met in the Premier League, Everton ran out easy 4-0 winners. A decade on, the aerial traffic is unlikely to be quite so one-way.
All eyes will be on Oliver Glasner as he returns to Selhurst Park with Nottingham Forest on an afternoon that will be emotionally charged for both sets of supporters and in the boardroom. The Crystal Palace chair, Steve Parish, sought to defuse tensions last week when he urged fans to “buck the trend” by welcoming the manager who led the south London club to the first three major trophies in their history in the space of 12 months. “I would be mortified if he gets anything other than the roof blown off,” said Parish. But given the strength of feeling towards Forest and their owner, Evangelos Marinakis – who is still blamed by some for Palace’s demotion to the Conference League at the expense of Forest last season – many have still not forgiven Glasner for joining their rivals and could still make their feelings known when the Austrian takes his seat in the dugout before kick-off.
Southampton 0-0 Portsmouth
It’s mostly Saints as the game is in its early stages. The fans are supplying plenty of noise and colour.
Last season saw the first league fixtures between the south coast clubs since the 2011-12 season, Nigel Adkins and all that, of a derby played since 1899. They finished 0-0 and 1-1.
As you might expect, it’s one hell of a noise at St Mary’s. This is big. It begins with boos as soon as Pompey touch the ball. A Southampton fan of my acquaintance – a pal – drove all the way south from Old Trafford last night to be there. This is huge, not just for these reasons.
Preamble
Good afternoon, and welcome to coverage of the Premier League action from the 2pm (all times BST) kick-offs, and more besides, with a keenly awaited south coast derby taking place between Southampton and Portsmouth being played before those from 12pm.
In the top division, both Crystal Palace and Nottingham Forest have begun slowly, and there’s history between the clubs, with the added spice of Oliver Glasner now being the manager of Forest. Hull have been an early delight this season, while Everton have returned to their state of perpetual limbo, having been put up for sale – again – this week.
The Premier League games get under way at 2pm. Before that, updates from St Mary’s and team news. Join me.
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