This South Coast Derby has a huge amount riding on it. With Southampton more or less down and Bournemouth in a good position, it’s arguably the first time in a long time that the Cherries have travelled to the Saints in a better position.

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The loss of Sofiane Boufal from a fall-out with Mark Hughes is a major blow for Saints. While the Algerian has struggled to live up to his pre-arrival hype, he’s a fine player with an eye for a rich performance when it suits. His exit from the squad is just another sign that things are going from back to worse for Southampton.
So, too, is the loss of Steven Davis. The Northern Irish international has not been his usual self this season, but his experience will be majorly missed in this match. In a make-or-break tie, the leadership void at St. Marys is beginning to show.

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Meanwhile, the Cherries are without Junior Stanislas and Adam Smith. The English duo have been two of their more consistent performers this year. While the loss of Tyrone Mings again won’t be a huge blow due to his lack of form, it does leave Eddie Howe with a few less options than he might want to have at this point of the season.
They’ll be reliant on Steve Cook at the back to keep it together alongside Nathan Ake and Simon Francis. For a side known for their flair, Bournemouth’ back-three is absolutely vital.

Verdict

We can see Bournemouth driving the pain of relegation deep into Southampton’ heart. Bournemouth are comeback specialists, taking more points than any team from losing positions this season. Southampton, meanwhile, are specialists in throwing away leads; if they come into this one without a total personality transplant, they’ll go down.