Southampton vs Derby - Championship

The Championship returns to St. Mary's Stadium on April 11, 2026, where Southampton and Derby will lock horns in a contest that could shape their respective campaigns. O'Neill made five changes for Celtic's midweek win at St Johnstone as he rested some key players ahead of Sunday's clash.

The two sides arrive with plenty to prove, and the Championship contest at St. Mary's Stadium offers a chance to lay down a marker. Southampton have held their own of late, LWLWW in their last five reflecting a steady win rate of 50%. Derby have found wins elusive, DLLLL in their last five underscoring a win rate of 12.5%. Goals could be in short supply or plentiful — Southampton average 2.38 per game to Derby's 0.88, and that gap may dictate the rhythm of the contest. The player had scored the equaliser away to Lyon before winning the penalty that secured the three points.

The touchline duel between the two managers adds another layer of intrigue, with both likely to tweak their setups in search of a decisive edge. There is interest in adding another forward player who can play in one of those wide No 10 roles behind the striker in the 3-4-2-1 formation that Sage is expected to continue with at Selhurst Park.

The fixture is likely to be shaped by its key performers, with creative midfielders and clinical finishers on both sides capable of turning the game in an instant. Set-piece specialists and aerial threats on both sides mean dead-ball situations could carry outsized importance. Their 2-1 defeat to Paris Saint-Germain in the UEFA Super Cup featured breakout performances by 17-year-old striker Brian Madjo striker on debut and 19-year-old winger George Hemmings.

Predicting an outright winner is no easy task given how little separates the two sides on paper. With the sides so closely matched, a 2-2 stalemate looks the most likely way this one ends. With positions in the Championship table to defend and momentum to chase, neither side can afford to leave anything in the tank. In terms of outgoings, Perri seems closest to an exit, but that will likely have to wait until Trafford's mandated holiday after the World Cup is over or a No 2 arrives.