Matt Le Tissier makes bold Southampton claim before massive Portsmouth match clash

Southampton legend Matt Le Tissier is hoping this season’s South Coast Derby provides a much better spectacle than the two sides managed last campaign.

With the international break coming to an end, attention is now firmly turning towards Sunday’s huge meeting at St Mary’s, where Portsmouth will make the short trip to face their fierce local rivals.

The two clubs are sharing a division for a second successive season for the first time since the 2003/04 and 2004/05 campaigns. That has brought plenty of excitement around the rivalry, although last season’s encounters failed to live up to the anticipation.

The first meeting at St Mary’s ended 0-0, with neither side willing to take too many risks. The return fixture was similarly cautious, producing a match in which there was very little to separate the teams.

Le Tissier was particularly disappointed by the quality of last season’s derbies and believes Southampton are now better prepared for another battle with their neighbours.

Speaking to the Daily Echo, the Saints icon admitted that the previous meetings were a letdown considering the huge expectations surrounding them. He felt Portsmouth created the clearer opportunities in the game but believes Southampton are in a better position this time around.

The former forward also pointed to the circumstances surrounding last season’s first derby, with Southampton still trying to adapt to life under then-manager Will Still.

With Tonda Eckert now in charge and Southampton having developed a more settled approach, Le Tissier expects his former club to show much more this time and believes they can come away with all three points.

Le Tissier knows exactly what the derby means

Although Le Tissier spent his entire 16-year professional career with Southampton, he only featured in two South Coast derbies during his playing days.

He came off the bench during a 2-0 defeat in 1988 before starting the 3-0 FA Cup victory over Portsmouth in 1996.

The rarity of the fixture is one reason why supporters on both sides place so much importance on it. The clubs have only shared the same division for a handful of seasons since 1976, making every meeting feel particularly significant.

The league rivalry has also lacked a decisive result in recent years. Both matches in the 2011/12 campaign ended in draws, while Portsmouth’s last league victory over Southampton came in a 4-1 Premier League win in April 2005.

For Saints supporters, Sunday’s game therefore represents far more than another Championship fixture.

Le Tissier, who now works in an advisory role with the club, knows just how much anticipation surrounds the occasion. He revealed that he has been inundated with requests for tickets, highlighting how much the fixture means to former players, supporters and Southampton staff alike.

Southampton preparing for the big occasion

The international break has also given Southampton an opportunity to prepare physically for the derby.

Le Tissier revealed that the squad played a behind-closed-doors friendly against Aston Villa during the break before Eckert gave his players some time away from training.

The intention was to allow the squad to recharge before returning to work ahead of Sunday’s showdown.

With the players now back in training, Le Tissier believes Southampton should be fresh and ready for what promises to be another highly anticipated meeting with Portsmouth.