Preston North End's upcoming opponents dealt double injury blow as Southampton make manager decision
Preston North End are back in action on Wednesday evening against Swansea City
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Saints sack Still
Southampton have parted ways with boss Will Still following Preston North End’s 0-2 win at St Mary’s on Saturday afternoon. Goals from Lewis Dobbin and Mads Frokjaer inflicted the defeat, leaving the relegated Saints sitting 21st in the Championship. The ex-Lens chief was appointed in May and guided Southampton to 12 points from 13 league games - winning two, drawing six and losing five.
Speaking post-match last weekend, Still said: "If I'd got an instant fix I would have found it about a month or two months ago. I don't think there is an instant fix to be really honest with you, and I think whoever it is, there's a big job. I knew there was a big job coming in here. I said a few weeks ago there were a lot of things that need to change that haven't changed yet because we haven't had the time to do that, but there's still evidently a lot of work to do."
Russell Martin is the early favourite with the bookies for a return to St Mary’s. Recently sacked by Rangers, it was Martin who guided Southampton to promotion via the Championship play-offs in the 2023/24 campaign. Brendan Rodgers, Michael Carrick and Ralph Hasenhuttl also feature in the running.
Millwall injury blows
Next up for North End is a Wednesday night assignment at home to Swansea City. After that, they make the trip down to Millwall for a 12:30 kick off on Saturday. The Lions ended the weekend in fourth spot, two points better off than sixth placed PNE.
Alex Neil’s men were denied all three points in the 96th minute at Oxford United, with it finishing 2-2 at the Kassam Stadium. Millwall’s squad didn’t come through the contest unscathed either, with influential attacker Femi Azeez and experienced head Ryan Leonard forced off.
Speaking post-match, the former PNE manager said: “The severity of the injuries, I’m not quite sure. Femi’s seems to be a hamstring. Lenny seems to be a calf. We’ve battled this all season, haven’t we? In terms of losing bodies and having to then try and find a way to win the next one.
“It’s really disappointing because Femi’s been brilliant for us. Lenny’s been excellent for us as well. So if they are out for any length of time, yeah, it naturally makes it difficult to win games because if they’re fit and available, they play in the team. The more first-team regulars that you lose, the more difficult it is at this level.”
PNE dropped Swansea hint
The Swans are 16th after 13 games, though only two points adrift of ninth placed Ipswich Town. Their latest performance, away at Charlton Athletic in Saturday’s one-all draw, impressed Addicks boss Nathan Jones. When speaking post-match, the Welshman offered potential insight into what Preston can expect this Wednesday night.
Jones said: "That's the toughest Swansea team I have played against for a while. Normally, Swansea games are very different... they try to pass you to death and we tend to beat them. They have got a bit of both. They try to pass the ball but have a more steely edge than a lot of Swansea teams.”