Taylor Harwood-Bellis starts for Saints after the club rejected a £17.1m offer from Benfica for the defender this week.

On the bench is new arrival Divin Mubama as another summer signing Lewis Dobbin makes the XI.

It was touch-and-go whether Caspar Jander would make the squad this afternoon but Saints boss Tonda Eckert has opted to leave the midfielder out to give him more recovery time from an injury picked up in pre-season.

Image source, Opta

Imran Louza doesn't make the Hornets squad amid rumours of an exit.

Kwadwo Baah is also missing for Watford after he fails a late fitness check.

He's replaced by Amin Nabizada for his first Hornets start, while Mamadou Doumbia replaces Luca Kjerrumgaard to lead the line.

Summer signing Omar Traore is also on from the off to make his league debut in front of a home crowd.

Image source, Opta

Dan George
BBC Sport

Image source, PA Media

While Southampton felt the full force of the EFL's disciplinary powers at the back end of last season, Spygate is far from over with the future of head coach Tonda Eckert still uncertain.

Saints' Championship campaign gets under way on Sunday and it still remains to be seen how Eckert, who was charged last month by the Football Association (FA), will be punished.

BBC Sport has been told the FA hearing is likely to be held in mid September.

Once the result is known, and with the possibility of an appeal to follow, Southampton will be a significant way into their campaign.

Read more about how things are unfolding for Eckert so far here.

George Litchfield
BBC Three Counties sport

Image source, Getty Images

News that Michail Antonio is training with Watford should please Hornets fans wanting to see their club strengthen in the striker department.

Luca Kjerrumgaard and Mamadou Doumbia both have room to develop and contribute this season, but it would be a big ask for them to carry the Hornets alone.

On the surface, the addition of Antonio - a player who boasts more than 250 Premier League matches and 68 goals - seems a good fit, adding some experience to the group while helping to guide and mentor the club's younger forwards.

The bigger question is on the pitch.

Read more on the prospect of Antonio at Watford here.

Southampton aren't expecting an easy ride from opposition fans as they head into the new season.

The spygate scandal caused uproar in May and the chapter has not yet closed with head coach Tonda Eckert still waiting to find out what punishment the FA might inflict on him personally.

Eckert has been backed by the powers that be at St Mary's and the players and it's that solidarity that will have them prepared should they be welcomed with more hostility across the league this season.

"I think we've grown even closer together as a group," Eckert said.

"This is going to be important to us going into the season, especially for away games. I think they [the players] might have a different atmosphere but we will find out for the first time on Sunday.

"But it's something we have addressed and the answer for us is to just stand close to each other."

New Watford boss Alessio Dionisi will get his first taste of the Championship this afternoon and he hasn't got the easiest of introductions.

Saints made the play-offs last year under Tonda Eckert and while they were excluded for spying, they did make the final before the ruling was made.

Life under the Italian at Vicarage Road has started well though, with the Hornets beating Crawley Town in the EFL Cup last weekend and Dionisi is keen to keep up the home fan's spirits.

"The atmosphere will be strong," Dionisi told BBC Radio 3CR.

"For us, it's important to start well but it won't be easy. Southampton play well with the ball."

BBC Local Radio

Unfortunately, we cannot bring you live radio coverage of today's matches due to rights restrictions.

However, fear not. We will have all the best of the commentary from our local BBC radio teams right here in text form.

13:30 BST

16:00 BST

Alex Hoad
BBC Sport England

Image source, BBC/Getty Images

Here we go again... you can leave the Viking Row, Wonderwall, Mexican ducks and (most) hydration breaks in the summer of '26 - proper football is back.

The open road of the Championship season stretches nine months before us, punctuated by 46 twists and turns along the way.

Whisper it, but it looks like being one of the most open and competitive seasons ever in a division which is already known around the world for being ridiculously unpredictable.

Read about your side and more in BBC Sport's Championship club-by-club guide.

Image source, Shutterstock

Nine down, three to go.

The Championship has kicked off in style with 25 goals across the opening nine matches but today that tally should go up even further with two more games to bring you.

Southampton will try to shake off the drama of spygate in match against a Watford side who will be hoping they've finally found the right manager in Italian Alessio Dionisi.

Then we've got a corker to follow as relegated sides Burnley and West Ham take each other on to try and make a winning start on their returns to the Championship.

Don't go anywhere. Build-up is starting... now!