Meet the opposition | Southampton
As Swansea City prepare to take on Southampton, we take a closer look at the Saints.
What's their story?
Formed in 1885, Southampton have spent the majority of their history in the top division of English Football, with their best league finish coming in the 1983-84 season as they finished second, just three points behind champions Liverpool.
Following relegation from the Premier League in the 2004-05 season, the Saints spent seven seasons outside of the top flight, including two years in League One, before gaining promotion back to the Premier League in 2011-12.
They spent 11 seasons in the elite division – securing Europa League qualification on two occasions and finishing as high as sixth in that time – before being relegated at the end of the 2022-23 season.
But the Saints quickly returned to the Premier League courtesy of their play-off final success over Leeds in 2024, only to be relegated once again at the end of the following season.
They reached the play-offs last term, but were removed from the competition on the back of the 'Spygate' controversy.
How's their form?
Saints have lost just one league game so far this season, and have suffered defeat in the Championship on just three occasions in 2026 as a whole courtesy of their outstanding form over the second half of last term.
They have drawn their last two against Birmingham and Lincoln and remain among the sides many fancy to be in the promotion hunt this time around.
Who's the gaffer?
Thirty-three year-old German Tonda Eckert is in his first senior head coach role, overseeing a remarkable climb up the table to reach the play-offs last season before 'Spygate' overshadowed the considerable strides Southampton had made.
Eckert played football at amateur level, but always had aspirations to work on the coaching side of the game.
As early as Euro 2012 he was working as an opposition analyst for the German national team, and also fulfilled that role as they won the World Cup in Brazil in 2014.
He held coaching roles in the academy systems at FC Koln, Red Bull Salzburg (where their under-18s won the Uefa Youth League), RB Leipzig and Bayern Munich.
Eckert stepped up to senior level when becoming Gerhard Struber's assistant at Barnsley in 2020, and in 2022 he took up a similar role at Genoa, completing his Uefa 'Pro' Licence during his time in Italy.
He joined Southampton as under-21 coach last summer, but made the step up to lead the senior side when Still departed.
Who's the captain?
Jack Stephens is club captain for the Saints. Stephens came through the ranks at Plymouth before joining the Saints academy in 2011.
He made his first-team debut against Coventry in the FA Cup in 2012 and stepped up to the first-team squad ahead of their return to the Premier League in the summer of that year.
Stephens had loan spells with Swindon, Middlesbrough and Coventry before firmly establishing himself at Saints, helping them reach the Carabao Cup final in 2017.
He spent the 2022-23 season on loan at Bournemouth before signing a new contract at Saints the following summer and returning from injury to lead them to play-off final glory before again being sidelined.
Saints' longest serving player, Stephens helped the club to promotion during the 23-24 season, playing every minute of their play-off campaign.
Who are the key men?
Ryan Manning
Former Swans defender Ryan Manning has enjoyed an excellent campaign last term with eight goals and four assists to his name, and his attacking intent on the left flank has been a prominent feature of Southampton's play over recent seasons.
During the 2022-23 season, he contributed 15 goal involvements in 43 Championship games for the Swans, leading the league for assists and earning him the club’s supporters' player of the season award, before moving to Saints at the end of his contract.
Manning made more than 40 appearances in Saints' promotion-winning campaign in his debut season with the club, and finally made his Premier League debut in October 2024, aged 28.
He was an integral part of Southampton's revival under Eckert, with his ability from dead-ball situations also catching the eye.
Leo Scienza
Brazilian winger Leo Scienza enjoyed an outstanding first season in English football, having arrived from German club Heidenheim last summer, and has picked up where he left off at the start of this campaign.
His pace and trickery have made him a constant nuisance for opposition defences, and he has two goals and two assists already this season.
Starting his career in his homeland, he moved to Europe with Swedish lower-tier club Fanna BK, where his superb form helped them secure promotion to the fourth flight.
A switch to Germany with Schalke II followed, and he went on to join Magdeburg, Ulm and Heidenheim.
After keeping the latter in the Bundesliga via a key contribution in their relegation play-off, Scienza made the move to the south-coast last summer and has been a stand-out performer.
Cyle Larin
Canada international Cyle Larin has already scored four goals this season, continuing the fine form that was such a feature of his loan spell during Southampton's strong second half to last season.
The powerful 31-year-old has been a reliable goalscorer throughout his career, and was on target for his country - where he played alongside new Swans signing Stephen Eustaquio - as they hosted the World Cup in the summer.
Larin started his career in his homeland and has played at senior level for Sigma, Orlando City, Besiktas, Zulte Waregem, Club Brugge, Valladolid, Mallorca, Feyernoord and now Southampton.
He has scored 14 goals in just 27 outings for the Saints, and his loan spell was turned into a permanent transfer during the summer.