The biggest game of Southampton’s season is nearly here, with the Championship play-off final against Leeds United kicking off at 3pm on Sunday.
All the preparation is now done and it is left for the two sets of players to battle it out at Wembley, with the winner securing a return to the Premier League and all the financial rewards that come with it.
For the loser, it is another season in the Championship and, whilst this could spell the end for manager Daniel Farke at Leeds, Russell Martin is said to have the backing of the Southampton board regardless of the outcome.
The Saints boss will still be desperate to mastermind a third win of the season against Leeds, though, and here are the three player battles that could be key to which side returns to the Premier League next season.
Kyle Walker-Peters v Crysencio Summerville
The first of these – and possibly the one fans and neutrals are most excited to see – is Kyle Walker-Peters against Crysencio Summerville.
The pair are two of the most talented players in the division, with neither likely to be playing in the second tier next campaign even if their respective clubs will be.
Walker-Peters will have to be at his best defensively to stop the tricky winger who loves to cut in on his stronger right foot and get a shot at goal, however he will also be keen to use his own attacking abilities to exploit the space Summerville tends to leave defensively.
The Southampton defender has had the better off the two meetings so far this season, with Summerville failing to score or assist and Walker-Peters not only stopping the Dutchman making an impact but providing an assist of his own in the recent 2-1 Saints win at Elland Road.
Walker-Peters also assisted Adam Armstrong’s opener in the 3-1 home win over Leeds in September and will hope to be able to display his attacking talents at Wembley. Despite his failure to hurt Southampton so far, Summerville does 20 goals and nine assists in the Championship this season and will be a real threat.
Summerville has spoken about the upcoming battle earlier this week and sounds as if he is relishing the challenge, as he said about Walker-Peters: “He’s one of the best right-backs in the Championship.
“He was in the team of the season as well. I like to challenge myself against the best, so I’m looking forward to the duel.”
David Brooks v Junior Firpo
Sticking to Southampton’s right and Leeds’ left, David Brooks up against Leeds left-back Junior Firpo could be a really crucial battle for different reasons than Walker-Peters against Summerville.
That is because Firpo looks to be a weak link in Farke’s side, with his defensive abilities often coming into question and Brooks very capably of exploiting this.
The Welsh winger may not have been in contention to start this game had Che Adams not missed the two semi-final clashes against West Brom due to injury, but he took his opportunity in the 3-1 home win as he was central to everything Southampton did before coming off with 16 minutes to go.
Adams is expected to be fit for the final but may start on the bench with Martin trusting the side that secured that second leg victory over West Brom and he and Walker-Peters could have a real say on the outcome of the game.
Firpo completely switched off defensively in Southampton’s win over Leeds just three weeks ago as he allowed Walker-Peters to ghost in and get on the end of a ball he had already given up on, before the 27-year-old beat Firpo and assisted Will Smallbone’s goal.
For all his defensive flaws, Firpo is good going forward and has struck up a relationship with Summerville down the Leeds left so Brooks will have to help Walker-Peters out defensively.
Flynn Downes v Georginio Rutter
The third and final battle is Flynn Downes up against Georgino Rutter.
Downes plays at the base of the Southampton midfield whilst Rutter operates as a hybrid number ten and second striker for Leeds, so the pair will be occupying a lot of the same spaces during the game.
Downes has quickly become a fan favourite at the Saints whilst on loan, with Martin calling him the ‘best in the league’, and his ability to dictate the tempo of the game will be key on an energy-sapping day at Wembley.
He will have a big role to play defensively too, stopping Rutter – who Leeds signed for a massive £35.5 million in 2022 – from finding pockets of space and slipping balls through to Joel Piroe.
Given how key Downes is to how Southampton play, it would not be a surprise to see Rutter try and man-mark the 25-year-old when the Saints have the ball.
This could cause an intriguing contest, with two of the key players tasked with stopping the other getting the ball.
There are sure to be plenty of twists and turns at Wembley and battles will be fiercely contested all over the pitch, but these three match-ups could well be key to who ends the day a Premier League side.