Southampton and Portsmouth meet again on Sunday at St Mary's, and the south coast derby carries more weight than usual. Neither side could claim bragging rights last season, after a scoreless draw at St Mary's and a 1-1 draw at Fratton Park, where Leo Scienza and Ebou Adams scored.
The build-up has been dominated by off-field news at Southampton. The FA handed head coach Tonda Eckert a suspended six-week ban and a £28,000 fine over the Spygate scandal, meaning he can be in the dugout for Sunday's game. Former Saints striker James Beattie said the news would be a welcome lift before the derby, removing a distraction and freeing the players to focus on the match.
The rivalry is intensified by how rarely the teams meet. Since 1996 they have played just 12 times in all competitions, eight of them in the Premier League or Championship. Neither side has won a league game against the other since 2005, when Portsmouth beat Southampton 4-1 at Fratton Park, with Lomana Lua Lua scoring twice. The four league meetings since have all ended level, while Portsmouth won the 2010 FA Cup tie and Southampton won the 2019 League Cup match.
Derogatory songs are a regular part of matchday in both camps, and supporters will be eager to use the fixture to mock their rivals. With frustration over the lack of a winner carrying into this season, Sunday's game at St Mary's promises an intense atmosphere. The question is whether one side can finally secure a long-awaited derby victory.
Source: BBC Sport Football · Summarized by HeadlinesBriefing