Southampton’s B team are back in knockout action as they host Blackburn Rovers in the Premier League Cup quarter-finals on Friday evening, with the tie relocated to the Staplewood Campus.
THE MATCH
Saints vs Blackburn Rovers
Premier League Cup quarter-final
Staplewood Campus
Friday 10th March, 7pm GMT
Saints have reached the last eight of the Premier League Cup thanks to a 1-0 victory over Sheffield United in the round of 16.
Dom Ballard's penalty was enough to secure progression against the young Blades in February.
It's the first time since the 2014/15 season that Saints have reached the competition's quarter-finals; incidentally, the last time they did so was en route to winning the tournament, beating Blackburn in the final over two legs.
Blackburn Rovers play a league above Saints in Premier League 2 Division One, where they currently sit in 12th position out of 14 in the table.
In the PL Cup, they advanced in second place from Group D alongside Brentford, before dispatching Huddersfield Town with a 4-1 win in the first knockout round.
Goals from Tyler Morton, on loan from Liverpool, and ex-Saint Sam Gallagher, a first team regular in the Championship, along with a brace from Harry Leonard helped Rovers progress to the last eight.
PREVIOUS MEETING
The last time these two sides were in the same division, in 2020/21, Rovers did the double over Saints in the league.
The season before, however, goals from Will Ferry and Dan N'lundulu helped Saints pick up a point in Lancashire in an entertaining 2-2 draw.
PLAYER PREVIEW
With the prospect of a trophy now two wins away in the PL Cup, Saints' goalkeeper Ollie Wright is relishing the opportunity in front of his side.
"It's been a good week of training, the lads are ready. It's a quarter-final so it's a big game and it's a good opportunity for the boys.
"I'm confident and so are the boys, we've been doing really well in the league this season as well so we just need to keep fighting it out until the end."
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