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Laurie Martin

Predicted Southampton XI for Leeds United clash with changes expected

Leeds United will be hoping to make it back-to-back Premier League wins to start their season when they travel to Southampton on Saturday.

The Whites will make the trip to Hampshire in confident mood having come from behind to defeat Wolves on the opening day at Elland Road.

By contrast, Southampton find themselves bottom of the division after the first round of matches, having lost 4-1 at Tottenham last weekend. The Saints only had two shots on target, made some costly defensive errors and boss Ralph Hasenhuttl was not happy with the performance. After that horror show in North London, Hasenhuttl could make a couple of changes in a bid to turn around his side's fortunes.

READ MORE: Leeds United 'now have something they lacked' as 'magnificent' transfer business hailed

The Saints have always set up in a high-pressing 4-2-2-2 formation under Hasenhuttl, but they are going with a 3-5-2 system this season. The highly-rated Gavin Bazunu, signed from Manchester City, will start in goal - but there could be some changes just in front of him.

Against Spurs, Mohamed Sailsu scored an own-goal, while Yan Valery was taken off at half-time, but Tottenham still scored two goals after Valery's replacement, Jack Stephens, came on. Recruited from VFL Bochum, new signing Armel Bella-Kotchap could make his Saints debut in the backline, alongside Jan Bednarek and Salisu.

Moussa Djenepo, a winger by trade, played at left-wing back against Spurs and had a tough time up against Dejan Kulusevski, and a more natural and defensively sound option in Romain Perraud could replace him. Kyle Walker-Peters will keep his place on the opposite flank.

In midfield, the impressive James Ward-Prowse will likely be the first name on the team sheet, where he could be joined by 18-year-old Romeo Lavia and the defensive-minded Oriol Romeu.

In attack is arguably where Hasenhuttl has his biggest decision to make. The Austrian started Joe Aribo and Adam Armstrong as his forward pairing against Spurs - and Armstrong was replaced at half-time by his namesake, Stuart. Both Aribo and Stuart Armstrong aren't natural numbers nines - so it seems unlikely they'd start in a front two.

Leeds-linked Che Adams is another option, although reports suggest that the Saints are willing to sell him this summer, while summer arrival Sekou Mara didn't make the squad against Spurs having only just arrived from Bordeaux.

Hasenhuttl could try the same front two that started against Spurs.

Predicted Southampton XI (3-5-2): Bazunu; Bella-Kotchap, Bednarek, Salisu; Walker-Peters, Romeu, Lavia, Ward-Prowse, Perraud; Aribo, A Armstrong.

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