Southampton manager Russell Martin fears three consecutive defeats will cause negativity to seep into supporters ahead of the play-offs as his side lost 1-0 to Stoke.Saints have been beaten by Cardiff, Leicester and Stoke in eight days, having hoped to mount an automatic promotion charge, and must now rely on the Championship play-offs.Tyrese Campbell netted the only goal for the Potters at St M...Full Story »

Stoke guaranteed their Championship status for another season with a 1-0 win that leaves Southampton to prepare for the play-offs.Steven Schumacher’s side held on for three points with just 35 per cent possession after taking the lead in the first half through a low Tyrese Campbell finish.Both teams had penalty shouts turned down by referee David Webb, with both the Saints and the Potters ...Full Story »

Leicester are a win from clinching automatic promotion after a hat-trick from Abdul Fatawu plus goals from Wilfred Ndidi and Jamie Vardy in a 5-0 home thrashing of Southampton, whose top-two hopes were effectively ended.The Foxes, relegated last season, can confirm an instant Premier League return by winning at Preston on Monday or, failing that, at home to Blackburn on the final day.Elevation c...Full Story »

Countries competing in Euro 2024 will be able to select 26 players after UEFA "green-lighted" a squad extension, according to reports. Normally, teams are only allowed to submit a squad of 23 players for international tournaments. However, with concerns of player exhaustion and welfare at the top of the agenda over the last few seasons, it's understood UEFA have agreed to permit the addition ...Full Story »

Cardiff’s second smash and grab raid at home against a top four team in the Championship in the space of six weeks sent Southampton’s hopes of automatic promotion into a tailspin.It was a goal from Callum O’Dowda in the 100th minute that sank Ipswich Town 2-1 on March 9 and a first league goal for teenager Cian Ashford in the 96th minute of his first full appearance sent Saints...Full Story »

Cian Ashford struck a 96th-minute winner for Cardiff as they put a huge dent in Southampton’s bid for automatic promotion with a 2-1 win at Cardiff City Stadium.The Saints took an early lead through Joe Aribo and looked comfortable for much of the game before they were overhauled by a tremendous fightback from the Bluebirds.Southampton came into the game on the back of picking up nine poin...Full Story »

Devante Rodney struck late to hand Rochdale a 2-1 comeback win at Southend on the final day of the National League season.The Shrimpers needed just seven minutes to force their way ahead when they worked the ball from the back for Jack Bridge to send a cross to the far post, where Gus Scott-Morriss slid it home.Danny Waldron might have doubled the lead within seconds but fired over before Bridge...Full Story »

Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola has seen his odds to replace Gareth Southgate as England manager fall amid speculation linking him with the Three Lions job. Southgate is preparing to lead England into this summer's European Championship in Germany in what will be the fourth major tournament he has overseen since replacing Sam Allardyce in September 2016. England will start the tournament...Full Story »

Russell Martin said the Sky Bet Championship automatic promotion race “dynamic” has changed after Southampton’s 3-0 domination of Preston.Saints had looked destined for a play-off place after three defeats in four games during February, but three home wins in seven days has them just four points off the top two.A Che Adams brace and Stuart Armstrong’s fourth goal of the s...Full Story »

Che Adams notched a brace to give Southampton a 3-0 victory over Preston, a third home win in seven days and a clear view of the Sky Bet Championship automatic promotion places.Striker Adams claimed a classy first-half double – which took him past 100 league goals – before Scotland team-mate Stuart Armstrong crashed in a third.After three defeats in four matches in February, Saints t...Full Story »

Southampton boss Russell Martin was left frustrated about his side’s “nonsense” performance despite a dramatic last-gasp 3-2 victory over Watford.Leicester and Leeds lost this weekend, while Ipswich dropped points to give Saints renewed hope of an automatic promotion spot and an immediate return to the Premier League.They needed a stoppage-time winner from Flynn Downes to beat ...Full Story »

Flynn Downes sensationally bundled in a stoppage-time winner to keep Southampton in the Sky Bet Championship automatic promotion race with a 3-2 victory over Watford.Will Smallbone and Che Adams had put Saints on course to capitalise on Leeds and Leicester’s earlier defeats before Ryan Porteous and Ismael Kone levelled things up.But Downes crashed home at the back post deep into stoppage t...Full Story »

Jude Bellingham had 'his worst match since arriving at Real Madrid' in Tuesday night's 3-3 draw with Manchester City, according to French newspaper L'Equipe. The 20-year-old has so far enjoyed a sensational season at the Bernabeu since his €103million summer transfer from Borussia Dortmund, scoring 20 goals and laying on 10 assists in his 33 appearances so far. But his excellent form ...Full Story »

Southend kept alive their slim hopes of reaching the National League play-offs with a 2-1 comeback victory away to Wealdstone.The visitors had to come from behind after Manny Duku had scored midway through the first half to give struggling Wealdstone the lead.At that stage they looked set to put three points between themselves and the relegation zone, but they remained clear only on goal differe...Full Story »

Russell Martin was glad Southampton “released the tension” by beating Coventry 2-1 to end a three-game winless run.Saints’ automatic promotion dreams all but went up in smoke after draws against Middlesbrough and Blackburn sandwiched a last-gasp defeat to rivals Ipswich – leaving them nine points adrift of the top two.Che Adams netted twice to see them past Coventry and r...Full Story »

Che Adams inspired Southampton to a 2-1 victory over fellow Sky Bet Championship promotion chasers Coventry – who missed a penalty.Striker Adams claimed Saints’ opener after he had deflected in Kyle Walker-Peters’ blast before more decisively bagging a second – both after Haji Wright had missed a spot-kick for the visitors.Jake Bidwell ended his year-long run without a go...Full Story »

Russell Martin acknowledged automatic promotion is now likely beyond Southampton after his side’s toothless display at Blackburn saw them stumble to a scoreless draw.Having fought for a top-two finish in the Championship for much of the season, Saints’ profligacy in front of goal proved costly in the last-gasp Good Friday draw with Middlesbrough and even later loss to Ipswich on East...Full Story »

Defender Fleurs joined Kaizer Chiefs last October South African footballer Luke Fleurs has been shot dead in a car hijacking, police say. The shooting took place at a petrol station on Wednesday night in the Johannesburg suburb of Florida. The 24-year-old Kaizer Chiefs star was waiting to be attended to when he was approached by unknown gunmen, who ordered him to get out of the vehicle. One ...Full Story »

Tottenham are eyeing a surprise move, as Ange Postecoglou improves his squad (Image credit: Getty Images) Tottenham are said to be preparing a move for a South American star this summer, as Ange Postecoglou aims to improve his squad. Spurs are riding high in the Premier League, chasing the fourth Champions League spot but have found that their thin squad has prevented them from sustaining a t...Full Story »

Super sub Jeremy Sarmiento secured Sky Bet Championship comeback kings Ipswich a stunning 3-2 stoppage-time win against profligate Southampton to go back to the top of the table.A packed Portman Road hosted this eagerly-anticipated Easter Monday encounter between a pair of sides pushing for a place in the Premier League next season.Che Adams and Adam Armstrong put Southampton on course for a muc...Full Story »