Southampton predicted lineup, team and injury news as Russell Martin rings changes vs Cardiff City

Southampton take a break from Premier League action as Russell Martin takes his side to face Cardiff City in the second round of the Carabao Cup.

Southampton have so far lost both of their matches 1-0 to start the new season, with Russell Martin facing a tough start to life as a Premier League manager.

Most worryingly is Southampton’s inability to create, with the Saints managing just one shot on target against Nottingham Forest last time out.

That is something Martin hopes will change against Cardiff City on Wednesday night, with a number of players expected to be handed an opportunity to impress in South Wales.

Southampton team and injury news for Cardiff City clash
Gavin Bazunu remains a long-term absentee, with the Achilles injury the goalkeeper sustained in April expected to keep him out until well into the new year.

Juan Larios has continued his rehabilitation with minutes for the under-21s having not played a senior game since October 2022 due to injury troubles and could make the squad for this one.

Adam Lallana should also make the squad having missed the entirety of pre-season after complaining of muscle tightness in the warm up for the first friendly of the summer against Eastleigh and could make his second Southampton debut from the bench.

Ross Stewart and Kamaldeen Sulemana were both expected to be ready for this one as the pair return from injury but it now looks as though it may have come too soon for the attacking duo.

Southampton predicted line-up against Cardiff City
Martin confirmed in his pre-Cardiff press-conference that there would be 11 changes to the side that has started the two Premier League games so far this season.

That could also see a change of shape as the Saints boss looks to find a way to make his side more expansive and accommodate the players that have so far been on the periphery.

With a move for goalkeeper Justin Bijlow frustratingly falling through after a failed medical it will be Joe Lumley who steps in for Alex McCarthy in goal.

Martin could switch to the 4-3-3 formation he tended to favour last season for this one, having used a 3-5-2 in the defeats to Newcastle United and Forest.

That should see James Bree and one of Charlie Taylor or Ryan Manning play full-back; Manning yet to make a match-day squad so far this season.

Summer signings Ronnie Edwards and Nathan Wood should form the central defensive partnership and will hope to keep Southampton’s first clean sheet of the season.

The midfield is where things start to get really exciting, with Chelsea loanee Lesley Ugochukwu expected to play the Flynn Downes anchor role with new signing Mateus Fernandes and 18-year-old Tyler Dibling ahead of him.

Martin spoke on Tuesday of how Dibling has been unlucky not to start in the Premier League after the pre-season he had and labelled the youngster a “special talent” but instead he “needs to play well” in this game to further his claim for a league start.

The front three should feature another 18-year-old, with Sam Amo-Ameyaw likely to start on the right.

That should see Samuel Edozie operate on the left flank, with summer signing Cameron Archer handed his first start in a game that could be crucial to his chances of starting against Brentford on Saturday.

With that in mind, here is the team we think Martin will select to face Cardiff on Wednesday night.

Southampton (4-3-3): Lumley; Bree, Edwards, Wood, Taylor; Ugochukwu, Fernandes, Dibling; Amo-Ameyaw, Archer, Edozie.