safc.com has compiled an all you need to know guide ahead of Sunderland under-23s’ 700-mile round trip to Southampton.
Fixture: Southampton U23 v Sunderland U23
Location: Staplewood Training Ground
Date and kick-off: Friday 9 December, KO 12pm
Competition: Premier League 2
How they line-up: Southampton
League position: 7th
League wins: 4
League defeats: 4
League goals scored: 15
League goals conceded: 16
Form guide: DLLLD
Last time out in the Premier League: Southampton U23 1-1 Everton U23 (Southamptonfc.com)
Olufela Olomola struck his eighth goal of the season as Southampton’s Under-23s held leaders Everton to a 1-1 draw in Premier League 2 action at Staplewood Campus.
Both of the game’s goals arrived in the first half of an entertaining contest on Monday evening, 24 hours on from the first teams’ meeting at St Mary’s.
Everton’s Oumar Niasse gave the visitors a 34th minute lead with a well-struck volley, but his effort was cancelled out around a minute later when Olomola struck an effort in off the post.
Spotlight - Southampton under-23s coach Martin Hunter
The Saints' development team boss began his career in the north east as a regional coach before moving to Bradford City, where he became their assistant manager.
After two years at Valley Parade, Hunter moved to Stoke City where he spent five months as the Potters assistant coach. A spell in the FA set-up then saw him become part of the under-19 and under-20 England squad. With a wealth of experience to draw on, Hunter became the first-team coach at Norwich City in 2006 before later joining Watford and then Southampton.
Key battle: Olufela Olomola v George Brady
After coming up against Wolves’ 18-year-old starlet Bright Enobakhare on Monday evening, George Brady now faces another physically draining battle. Olufela Olomola has been in inspired form in recent weeks for the Saints and has scored four goals in as many games. However, Brady dealt with the threat of Olomola admirably when the two sides met in August and the defender will need to reproduce a similar dominant display this time around.
