Southampton vs West Ham United: EFL Cup Preview, Team News and Prediction

Southampton and West Ham United will battle for a place in the third round of the EFL Cup when they meet at St Mary’s Stadium.

Tonda Eckert will be eager to guide Southampton to a successful campaign and silence his critics following last season’s controversial “Spygate” scandal. The incident ultimately contributed to the Saints missing out on the promotion play-off final, despite being among the favourites to return to the Premier League.

Southampton are now preparing for another season in the Championship, although their opening league results have been mixed. They began the campaign with an EFL Cup victory over Colchester United before suffering a defeat to Watford in their Championship opener.

The Saints responded with an impressive win over Stoke City. Goals from Cyle Larin and Divin Mubama, followed by a late Ryan Manning penalty, secured all three points, while Stoke’s Svante Ingelsson was sent off and made Southampton’s task easier.

They now face a West Ham side with promotion ambitions in what should be a closely contested second-round EFL Cup tie.

West Ham supporters would have expected a much stronger start to life in the Championship following relegation from the Premier League, but the Hammers have struggled to find consistency.

Their season started brightly with a convincing EFL Cup win over Portsmouth. However, they surrendered a two-goal advantage against Burnley in their opening league fixture as Zian Flemming scored twice to earn the Clarets a point at Turf Moor.

Nuno Espírito Santo would have wanted an immediate response, but West Ham were beaten 2–1 by Charlton Athletic at the London Stadium. A late goal from summer signing Joel Piroe was not enough to rescue a point.

Espírito Santo will now look to the EFL Cup for a positive reaction, but his side face a Southampton team that will be determined to make home advantage count.

Team News and Predicted Lineups

Southampton

The quick turnaround could see both managers rotate their squads, with Southampton expected to make several changes.

Eckert could reward Mubama with a starting place following his goal against Stoke, while Jack Clarke may replace Finn Azaz in the attacking midfield role.

Taylor Harwood-Bellis could also be rested amid transfer speculation surrounding the defender and reported interest from Aston Villa. Southampton may avoid risking him while a potential move remains unresolved.

Cam Bragg is another player who could come into the midfield, replacing Flynn Downes.

Eckert could line his side up in a 4-2-3-1 formation, with Kuryu Matsuki and Bragg operating in central midfield. Mubama could lead the attack, supported by Leo Scienza, Jack Clarke and Tom Fellows.

Probable Southampton lineup (4-2-3-1): Peretz; Bree, Wood, Stephens, Manning; Matsuki, Bragg; Fellows, Dobbin, Scienza; Mubama.

West Ham United

Espírito Santo is also expected to rotate his squad after Saturday’s disappointing defeat to Charlton.

Lewis Orford and James Ward-Prowse could be brought into midfield, while Joel Veltman may return to the defence alongside Kyle Walker-Peters, Max Kilman and Scarles.

The West Ham boss could opt for a 4-4-2 system, with Orford and Ward-Prowse controlling the midfield and captain Jarrod Bowen joined by new signing Manor Solomon on the flanks.

Piroe could retain his place in attack after scoring his first goal for the club, potentially partnering Taty Castellanos in what would be an attacking lineup.

Probable West Ham lineup (4-4-2): Hermansen; Walker-Peters, Veltman, Kilman, Scarles; Bowen, Orford, Ward-Prowse, Solomon; Castellanos, Piroe.

Key Stats

• West Ham are without a win in their last two Championship matches.
• The Hammers have conceded at least two goals in each of their last two games.
• Southampton have failed to beat West Ham in their last four meetings.
• Southampton have won their last two cup meetings against the Hammers.

Player to Watch: Taty Castellanos

Taty Castellanos will be one of the players under the spotlight at St Mary’s.

The Argentine striker joined West Ham in January and impressed despite the club’s relegation from the Premier League last season. Although there was speculation that he could leave during the summer, he now appears likely to remain at the club, at least for this EFL Cup clash.

Castellanos will be looking to respond after a disappointing display against Charlton, where he missed a crucial penalty.

The Southampton fixture gives him an ideal opportunity to put that miss behind him. A strong performance and a goal could help West Ham regain confidence while securing their place in the next round.

Prediction: Southampton 1–2 West Ham United

Southampton could have a slight advantage with home support behind them, particularly after their recent victory over Stoke City.

However, their recent record against West Ham is not encouraging, with the Saints failing to win their last four meetings with the Hammers.

West Ham are still searching for their first Championship victory and have looked vulnerable defensively, but the EFL Cup could provide Espírito Santo’s side with the perfect opportunity to respond.

With several attacking options available and players such as Piroe and Castellanos looking to make an impact, West Ham should have enough quality to edge a competitive encounter and book their place in the third round.

Prediction: Southampton 1–2 West Ham United