Two newly-promoted Premier League teams square off at St Mary's on Saturday afternoon as Southampton play host to Ipswich Town.

Match preview

Southampton are one of only two teams along with Everton who are yet to pick up a single point after four matches in the Premier League this season, most recently losing 3-0 at home to Manchester United last weekend.

However, the Saints supporters were given something to cheer about in the EFL Cup on Tuesday, as Russell Martin's men edged themselves beyond the third round with a 6-5 penalty-shootout victory over Everton at Goodison Park following a 1-1 draw in 90 minutes.

After Taylor Harwood-Bellis cancelled out Abdoulaye Doucoure's opener in normal time, goalkeeper Alex McCarthy became Southampton's hero on his 150th appearance for the club, as he made the decisive save in the penalty shootout, thwarting Ashley Young to send the Saints marching into the fourth round for the fifth time in seven seasons.

Martin, who has been under some pressure to grind out positive results, is "so excited about what is to come" from his Southampton players and believes that claiming their first Premier League win of the season will allow everyone at the club to "relax".

With fixtures against Ipswich, Bournemouth and Leicester City in the coming weeks, Southampton will hope that their first victory is not too far around the corner, but success on Saturday is not a given as they have failed to win any of their previous three home meetings with Ipswich, including a narrow 1-0 loss in the Championship last season.

Ipswich began their first Premier League campaign in 22 years with back-to-back defeats to Liverpool and Manchester City, before losing on penalties to League Two outfit AFC Wimbledon in the EFL Cup, but they have since picked up two points from draws with Fulham and Brighton & Hove Albion either side of the international break.

The Tractor Boys followed up a 1-1 draw at home to Fulham with a goalless stalemate with Brighton at the Amex Stadium last weekend, with goalkeeper Arijanet Muric producing six saves in a man-of-the-match display for the visitors.

Liam Delap came closest to scoring for Ipswich when he smacked the outside of the post in the second half, with head coach Kieran McKenna stating after the match that scoring in successive games - having previously netted against Fulham - would have been "legendary" for the 21-year-old summer signing.

Nevertheless, McKenna was pleased with the overall spirit of his Ipswich side and how resolute they were from a defensive perspective, and similar performances will be required if they wish to avoid the drop this term.

Ipswich will be confident of success on Saturday as they have won more Premier League games against Southampton (five) than they have versus any other club, while they did the double over the Saints in the Championship last season, winning by an aggregate score of 4-2.

Player injuries:

southampton

5 (Central Defender) Stephens

8 (Central Midfielder) Will Smallbone

20 (Left Wing) Kamaluddin Suleimana

31 (Goalkeeper) Gavin Bazunu

ipswich

27 (Center) George Hurst

33 (left winger) Broadhead

possible starting lineup：