West Ham United return to Premier League action following the September international break with a trip to Southampton.
The Hammers will seek to extend their unbeaten start to the 2021/22 campaign at St Mary's Stadium as they kick-off a busy month of September that will see them play six matches in three different competitions in the space of 20 days.
David Moyes' men have scored ten goals in their opening three matches - joint-best in the Premier League alongside champions Manchester City - and are one of just four clubs to have netted 100 top-flight goals since the Scot returned to the West Ham helm at the end of 2019.
Former Southampton player Michail Antonio has been one of the main contributors in that time, and the No9 has scored four goals and registered three assists in his first three appearances this term - more than any other Premier League player. Antonio is now West Ham's all-time record Premier League goalscorer and is seeking his 51st goal in the competition this weekend.
Southampton, meanwhile, are winless after three matches, but did earn creditable draws at home to Manchester United and away to Newcastle United either side of an 8-0 Carabao Cup second-round victory at Newport County.
Kick-off on Saturday is at 3pm, which means the game will not be broadcast live on television in the UK. However, if you are based overseas, you might be able to watch the game in your territory. Click here for overseas broadcast listings.
We will also be covering the game live with a blog and audio commentary on whufc.com and our Official App and across our social media channels, with goals, highlights and exclusive reaction to follow after the final whistle.
Ticket news
West Ham United's allocation of tickets for Saturday's game have sold out.
However, seats are on sale for our home UEFA Europa League group-stage ties with Rapid Vienna, Genk and Dinamo Zagreb, our Premier League home game with Brentford and Carabao Cup third-round match at Manchester United.
Click here to watch West Ham in action live now!
How can I follow the game?
Kick-off on Saturday is at 3pm, which means the game will not be broadcast live on television in the UK. However, if you are based overseas, you might be able to watch the game in your territory. Click here for overseas broadcast listings.
We will also be covering the game live with a blog and audio commentary on whufc.com and our Official App and across our social media channels, with goals, highlights and exclusive reaction to follow after the final whistle.
Supporters in the UK will also be able to listen to live radio commentary on talkSPORT and BBC London.
Team news
David Moyes could hand debuts to recent signings Kurt Zouma, Nikola Vlašić and Alex Král, while summer arrival Alphonse Areola is also awaiting his first appearance for West Ham United.
Arthur Masuaku remains the Hammers' only major injury concern, as Moyes continues to manage his return from a knee injury. The DR Congo international has featured in Premier League 2 this season, and has returned to first team training.
Southampton have also been busy in the transfer market, with Brazilian defender Lyanc and former Everton left-back Thierry Small both hoping to make their debuts against the Irons.
Elsewhere, Irish forward Shane Long is out after testing positive for COVID.
Taking the knee
As confirmed in a joint statement by English football's governing bodies, Premier League clubs will continue to take the knee before kick-off to protest against racism and discrimination.
The 20 Premier League clubs and players have resolved to work together against racism and all forms of discrimination. There is no place in football or society for any form of prejudice and while there have been strides made across our game, recent events have reminded us there is still much work to be done.
Taking the knee is an individual choice that many players wish to make as a way of peacefully demonstrating against racism and injustice. This gesture of unity is not new, and we do not view it as an alignment to any political organisation or ideology, but rather raising the awareness of this important issue. We ask that fans respect any player that wishes to take the knee and support them in their stance against discrimination.
While not all players will choose to express their opposition to discrimination through taking the knee, players, clubs and authorities are committed to work as a collective to address all prejudiced behaviour through the coming season and beyond.
The opposition – Southampton
Southampton supporters will hope their team can halt the alarming slide in form that saw them finish 15th last season, with just 43 points.
Even more worrying for Saints fans is the fact that their team collected just 14 of those points in the second half of the season, slipping from third after 13 rounds to spend the second half the campaign in the bottom half of the table.
Southampton also lost their leading scorer, England striker Danny Ings, to Aston Villa, and experienced Denmark centre-back Jannik Vestergaard to Leicester City.
Austrian manager Ralph Hasenhüttl will hope Ings' replacement Adam Armstrong, who joined from Blackburn Rovers, and former Southampton star Theo Walcott, back from Everton, pick up the slack in attack, while Brazilian defender Lyanco and Chelsea youngster Tino Livramento will help matters at the back.
In truth, Southampton's struggles are nothing new. They have finished above 15th just once in the previous four seasons, conceding an average of 62 goals in that time.
Hasenhüttl is a positive personality with a strong reputation from his time with previous clubs Ingolstadt and RB Leipzig in Germany, and he will need to draw on those characteristics if his side are to avoid another difficult campaign.
Previous meetings
West Ham United took four points off Southampton last season, drawing 0-0 at St Mary's Stadium just after Christmas and winning 3-0 at home on the final day of the campaign - a result that secured UEFA Europa League group-stage qualification.
West Ham are on a seven-match unbeaten run against the Saints in the Premier League, winning six of those matches, and have not tasted defeat on their three most recent visits to Hampshire.
Michail Antonio scored the first of his 50 Premier League goals for West Ham in a 2-1 home win in December 2015.
The Hammers' biggest Premier League win over Southampton was a 4-1 victory at the Boleyn Ground on 20 October 2012, a game in which Mark Noble scored two of his career-high five goals against the same opposition (he has also scored five times against Watford).
West Ham also lead the all-time stats against the Saints, winning 19 of the previous 38 meetings between the clubs in the Premier League, Football League and FA Cup. Southampton have won eleven, with eight draws.
In all competitions, the Hammers' record win over the Saints came back in October 1913, when they were 5-1 Southern Division victors at the Boleyn Ground.
Match officials
Referee: David Coote
Assistant Referees: Harry Lennard and Nick Hopton
Fourth Official: Michael Salisbury
VAR: Martin Atkinson
Assistant VAR: Derek Eaton
Affiliated to the Nottinghamshire FA, David Coote began refereeing at the age of 16 and worked his way up through the Notts Alliance League, Northern Counties East Football League, the Northern Premier League and the Conference North.
He was promoted to the Football League List of assistant referees in 2006, and again to the referees’ list in 2010. Coote refereed the 2014 League One Play-Off final at Wembley, which saw Rotherham United defeat Leyton Orient.
The official, whose father played cricket for Nottinghamshire, was appointed to the Select Group of Premier League officials in the summer of 2018.
Coote has refereed West Ham United six times in the Premier League, with the most recent occasion being the 1-1 home draw with Crystal Palace last December.
