Southampton

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Former Southampton player Adam Lallana has been named the permanent head coach of the Championship club's under-21 team.

The former Liverpool and England player was appointed as interim boss in November and will now take on the role full-time.

Lallana rejoined Southampton from Brighton & Hove Albion in the summer of 2024 before retiring a year later at the age of 37.

He took on a first-team coaching role at Saints with former boss Will Still, and continued those duties for a short period when Tonda Eckert took over as interim boss after Still's dismissal.

"As soon as I knew the opportunity was there to help out with the Under-21s and get more hands-on with coaching I was extremely excited," Lallana told the club website. , external

"It feels right that I'm at the football club where I came through the academy, I feel like I owe the club a lot in terms of giving back in any way I can to help the young boys develop.

"The pathway feels open, we've had some debutants this year so it's exciting and I'm relishing this time."

Southampton captain Jack Stephens believes there is still plenty of time to recover their season and finish in a Championship play-off spot.

The Saints are 15th and seven points behind Wrexham in sixth after just one win in their past nine games (D4 L4).

"I think there's always been belief and I think even when you're on a little bit of a sticky run, you have to believe in yourself," Stephens told BBC Radio Solent before the trip to Stoke on Saturday.

"Maybe we did lose a little bit of that through that bad run, but there was still belief that we could chase down the teams above us and get ourselves into the play-off spots.

"Certainly after that Sheffield United result [1-0 win] there was an increase in belief that we really can chase them down and it's there for us.

"There's loads of games left to play. It's there for us if we really want to get it and it's up to us."

Tonda Eckert's side have struggled away from home in recent weeks with two draws and four losses from their past six on the road.

"Obviously the point on Sunday [at Portsmouth] is disappointing because we felt we dropped two points, but it was a point away from home in a really tough game," Stephens said.

"So we have to try and spin the positives on that and go into this game against Stoke with full belief to get three points."

Stephens says having eight teams between themselves and the top six is "a bit of a problem" because they need "two or three wins" to recover the gap, but is still confident they can.

"I think we play most of them because we've got 17 games left," he added.

"So I still believe it is in our hands. If we win enough games, we'll get there, which is a good place to be."

Southampton defender Taylor Harwood-Bellis is being eyed for a return to the Premier League, with Everton and Burnley keen on the 24-year-old, who has one England cap. (Football Insider, external)

Want more transfer news from the EFL? Take a look at Friday's gossip column here.

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Stoke will seek to get back to winning ways as they welcome Southampton to the Bet365 Stadium on Saturday (12:30 GMT).

The Potters are winless in three games and four without a league victory at home to sit 10th, albeit only two points outside the top-six going into the weekend.

A Friday night win for Bristol City would however mean a play-off spot is beyond Mark Robins' men, even with a win.

Saints are five points back in 15th and will be seeking to end a six-game winless streak on the road during which they have earned just two points.

• Stoke have won their past two league games against Southampton (1-0 in April 2024 and 2-1 in August 2025), and could win three in a row against the Saints for the first time ever.

• Southampton could lose home and away against Stoke in a league campaign for the first time since the 1967/68 campaign, in the English top-flight.

• Stoke are winless in their past four Championship home games (D2 L2), and last went five in a row without a home victory on Boxing Day 2024 (5 – D3 L2).

• Southampton won their first two away league matches under Tonda Eckert (v QPR and Charlton), but have since failed to win any of their past six on the road (D2 L4).

• Sorba Thomas has been directly involved in 44% of Stoke's goals in the Championship this season (15/34 – 9 goals, 6 assists); the highest percentage by a player for any team in 2025/26.

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Portsmouth and Southampton have been charged by the Football Association after a mass confrontation during Sunday's south coast derby.

Players from both sides clashed in the 69th minute of the 1-1 Championship draw at Fratton Park.

Tempers flared after Flynn Downes and Zak Swanson squared up to each other after a heavy challenge by Saints midfielder Downes.

Both clubs have been charged with failing to ensure that their players did not behave in an improper and/or provocative way.

The two sides have until Friday to provide a response to the charges.

Wrexham have registered interest in Southampton striker Adam Armstrong, 28, with Saints wanting £15m for the Englishman. (Alan Nixon - requires subscription), external

Want more transfer news from the EFL? Take a look at Monday's gossip column here.

Watch BBC Radio Solent's Southampton commentator Adam Blackmore and former Saints midfielder Jo Tessem dissect the south coast derby.

Tonda Eckert's side drew 1-1 at Fratton Park with Leo Scienza scoring for the visitors.

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Southampton boss Tonda Eckert said that his side "deserved more" from their draw with Portsmouth at Fratton Park.

The Saints went a goal up after Leo Scienza ran through on goal and slotted home, but late in the second half they conceded from a set-piece as Ebou Adams headed Pompey level.

Eckert said after the game that his side could have come away with all three points.

"I think that the chances were quite clearly on our side, especially in the first half," he said.

"And then when we do go up in the second half, we just need to make sure that we bring the game over the line. I think we deserved more.

"The 15 minutes after the first goal, we were clearly on top and you need to use those moments to score a second goal, and if you don't, you need to make sure you see a game out.

"It's a good corner, a scramble in the middle, and we need to just deal better with those situations.

"It's a non-negotiable that we have to leave everything on the pitch and we did this to a 100%."

Adam Blackmore
BBC Radio Solent sports editor

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Despite Wednesday's win against Sheffield United, the Saints fanbase is still very much 'jury out' on Tonda Eckert and technical director Johannes Spors.

They have also already decided - with some justification - that owners Sport Republic aren't doing a good job at the helm of their club.

So this derby has a lot hinging on it for everyone at Saints at all levels, from fans to players to manager and to boardroom.

The lack of faith supporters already have will only deepen if they lose at Pompey, especially if they have one of those spells where they fold like a pack of cards.

They did that in the recent second halves at Middlesbrough and Doncaster.

If there is any game where the pressure on them might see them crumble, it's this one - an early Pompey goal and it could be a long lunchtime!

The good news is that Saints have good players in their squad, a number of whom think they should or could be in the Premier League.

So if they play to their ability, wrestle control of the of the game and the tempo off Pompey, then they might use their undoubted talent to win the game comfortably.

But it's the "wrestling" bit I worry about, the resolve to overcome any adversity, that is likely to be the deciding factor in this game.

Image source, EFL

A new initiative highlighting the work of football club charities has been launched by the English Football League (EFL).

'Scan to Smile' will be rolled out in stadiums across the EFL from Friday until the end of January, with supporters invited to scan QR codes on posters displayed around grounds.

Each scan will unlock a short, uplifting story from a person whose life has been positively impacted by the support of their local club charity.

The subjects tackled include mental health support, combating loneliness, improving physical wellbeing, employability and confidence.

The EFL said it hoped the initiative would use "the reach and influence of football to offer fans a moment of positivity on matchday".

Trevor Birch, chief executive at the EFL, said: "Behind every club are people whose lives have been positively changed through the work and dedication of their local EFL club charity.

"This initiative gives supporters the chance to see that impact first-hand and reminds us that football truly is a force for good."

Southampton are facing a battle to hold on to defender Taylor Harwood-Bellis with Burnley interested in re-signing the 23-year-old who spent a season-long loan with the Clarets from Manchester City for the 2022-23 campaign. (Four-Four-Two), external

Read all the latest EFL transfer rumours in Friday's gossip column here.

The South Coast derby is back and it's Portsmouth's time to host as they welcome Southampton to Fratton Park on Sunday (12:00 GMT).

September's clash between the two sides ended in a goalless stalemate but both sides now find themselves in a situation that will require more than just a wish for bragging rights.

The Saints' hopes of play-offs are dwindling with seven points worth of ground to make up, while Pompey are just one point above the relegation line as it stands and firmly in the mix for a return to League One.

• This will be the first time that Portsmouth have hosted Southampton at Fratton Park in league action since a 1-1 draw in December 2011. Overall, Pompey are unbeaten across their last four on home soil against the Saints (W2 D2).

• Southampton are winless across their last four league meetings with Portsmouth (D3 L1), never before have they gone five without win against their South-coast rivals in the Football League.

• Portsmouth have won three of their last five home games (D1 L1), and are looking to win consecutively at Fratton Park for the first time since February/March last year (a run of three).

• After winning their first two away league games under Tonda Eckert, Southampton are now winless in their last five on the road (D1 L4).

• Southampton have conceded in each of their last 24 away league games, their longest run without a clean sheet since a run of 50 between March 1962 and September 1964.

Dan George
BBC Sport, South of England

Image source, Rex Features

Southampton boss Tonda Eckert has said that the south coast derby "means everything" to the football club.

Saints and Portsmouth meet for the second instalment of the bitter rivalry this season on Sunday (12:00 GMT) and both will hope to be able to find a breakthrough this time after September's goalless draw at St Mary's.

Despite being permanent Saints head coach for less than two months, Eckert has been around the club since July last year as head coach of the under-21 side.

The German was in attendance at the home fixture against Portsmouth and got a taste for the hatred between the two rivals.

"It means everything," Eckert told BBC Sport. "I was here for the game earlier in the season and you can feel this as you walk through the stadium.

"You can feel it leading up to the game and these games just feel different. We will need to use this energy and fuel and transfer it to the pitch."

Southampton go into the encounter having ended a winless run of seven Championship games by beating Sheffield United 1-0 on Wednesday.

They currently sit 15th in the table but in a congested and competitive area, seven points off the top six.

Portsmouth have struggled this season and are 21st in the division but have picked up some better form recently, winning 12 points from their past seven league matches.

"It's a special game for both sides and we have to make sure we bring our quality," Eckert added.

"The derby is the most beautiful and important game of the year and there will be moments where we need to dig very deep.

"There will also hopefully be some moments where we can keep the ball on the ground and bring the talent we have on the pitch, and I'm very positive that we can come away with a good result."