| 2017–18 season | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chairman | Ralph Krueger | |||
| Manager | Mauricio Pellegrino (until 12 March 2018) Mark Hughes (from 14 March 2018) | |||
| Stadium | St Mary's Stadium | |||
| Premier League | 17th | |||
| FA Cup | Semi-finals | |||
| EFL Cup | Second round | |||
| Top goalscorer | League: Charlie Austin (7) All: Charlie Austin (7) Dušan Tadić (7) | |||
| Highest home attendance | 31,930 vManchester United (23 September 2017) | |||
| Lowest home attendance | 17,931 vWolverhampton Wanderers (23 August 2017) | |||
| Average home league attendance | 30,793[1] | |||
The2017–18Southampton F.C. season was the club's 19th season in thePremier League and their 41st in the top division ofEnglish football.[2] In addition to the Premier League, the club also competed in theFA Cup and theEFL Cup. Southampton finished 17th in the Premier League table with seven wins, 15 draws and 16 losses.[3] They were knocked out of the EFL Cup in the second round byChampionship sideWolverhampton Wanderers,[4] and were knocked out of the semi-finals of the FA Cup byChelsea.[5] The season was Southampton's first and only campaign with managerMauricio Pellegrino, who replacedClaude Puel after one season in charge on 23 June 2017.[6] Pellegrino was sacked with eight league games remaining on 12 March 2018, with the club in 17th position in the table, one point above the relegation zone.[7]Mark Hughes, who played for the club between 1998 and 2000, was appointed as his replacement two days later.[8]
Following the end of the2016–17 season, Southampton releasedMartín Cáceres,Lloyd Isgrove,Cuco Martina and Harley Willard.[9] They also soldJason McCarthy toBarnsley for an undisclosed fee,[10]Jay Rodriguez toWest Bromwich Albion for £12 million,[11] andPaulo Gazzaniga toTottenham Hotspur for an undisclosed fee.[12] Five players were sent out on season-long loans –Harrison Reed toNorwich City,[13]Harry Lewis toDundee United,[14]Ryan Seager toMilton Keynes Dons,[15]Sam Gallagher toBirmingham City,[16] andJordy Clasie toClub Brugge[17] – whileOlufela Olomola joinedYeovil Town on loan until January.[18]
Southampton's first signing of the summer transfer window was Polish centre-backJan Bednarek, who joined fromLech Poznań for £5 million on 1 July.[19] The club's second signing followed on 8 August, when Gabonese defensive midfielderMario Lemina joined from Italian clubJuventus for an initial fee of £15.4 million, which could increase to a club record £18.1 million based on performance.[20] On 14 August, Southampton signed free agent goalkeeperJack Rose, who had most recently played for West Bromwich Albion.[21] The following week, the club signed Dutch centre-backWesley Hoedt from Italian sideLazio for £15 million.[22]
When the transfer window reopened in January 2018, Dutch centre-backVirgil van Dijk joinedLiverpool for £75 million, a world record fee for a defender.[23] Young strikerMarcus Barnes joinedYeovil Town on loan for the rest of the season on 5 January,[24] while left-backMatt Target joinedChampionship sideFulham on loan for the rest of the season on 22 January.[25] On 25 January, the club signed Argentine strikerGuido Carrillo from French sideAS Monaco for a club record fee of £19 million.[26] Seager was recalled from his loan at Milton Keynes Dons on 26 January, and instead joined Yeovil Town until the end of the season.[27]
Southampton played their first pre-season friendly against Swiss clubSt. Gallen on 15 July 2017. The game ended in a goalless draw, with Saints coming close to scoring in the first half throughDušan Tadić and Nathan Tella, and in the second half throughSteven Davis andManolo Gabbiadini.[28] A week later, the club drew 2–2 withChampionship sideBrentford, with both goals scored by strikerCharlie Austin shortly after the half-time break.[29] On 29 July the Saints beat French sideSaint-Étienne 3–0, with two goals in two minutes scored byManolo Gabbiadini andJames Ward-Prowse, followed by a late header fromMaya Yoshida.[30] Southampton lost their first friendly of the season atSt Mary's Stadium on 2 August, when they were beaten 4–0 by German sideAugsburg.[31] Three days later the club won their final pre-season friendly of the summer against Spanish sideSevilla, with goals coming fromJack Stephens in the first half andManolo Gabbiadini in the second.[32]
| 15 July 2017Friendly | St. Gallen | 0–0 | Southampton | Goldach,Switzerland |
| 15:30BST | Report | Stadium:Sportanlage Kellen |
| 22 July 2017Friendly | Brentford | 2–2 | Southampton | London |
| 15:00BST | Vibe 40'Clarke 82' | Report | Austin 52',60' | Stadium:Griffin Park |
| 29 July 2017Friendly | Saint-Étienne | 0–3 | Southampton | Chambéry,France |
| 17:00BST | Report | Gabbiadini 64' Ward-Prowse 66'Yoshida 86' | Stadium:Stade Municipal de Chambéry |
| 2 August 2017Friendly | Southampton | 0–4 | Augsburg | Southampton |
| 19:45BST | Report | Gregoritsch 35',39' Koo Ja-cheol 67'Framberger 82' | Stadium:St Mary's Stadium |
| 5 August 2017Friendly | Southampton | 2–0 | Sevilla | Southampton |
| 15:00BST | Stephens 26' Gabbiadini 82' | Report | Stadium:St Mary's Stadium |
_-_Manolo_Gabbiadini_(American_shot).jpg)
In their opening game of the season, Southampton were held to a goalless draw at home bySwansea City.[33] The Saints enjoyed the majority of chances on goal, withDušan Tadić,Manolo Gabbiadini andMaya Yoshida coming closest to scoring.[33] The following week, Southampton beatWest Ham United 3–2 to move up to fifth in the league table.[34] Gabbiadini converted in the 11th minute with the club's first home goal since April, beforeMarko Arnautović was sent off for the visitors 12 minutes before half-time.[34] Tadić doubled the hosts' lead with a penalty given away by former Saints defenderJosé Fonte five minutes after the red card, beforeJavier Hernández brought one back for the Hammers on the stroke of half-time.[34] Hernández equalised for West Ham in the second half, but a second penalty for the home side was scored by substituteCharlie Austin in the final minute of the game.[34] The side's next match, away atHuddersfield Town, ended goalless.[35]Nathan Redmond came close for the Saints in both halves, although the hosts enjoyed more chances on goal.[35]Ryan Bertrand almost scored in injury time at the end of the game, but his header was cleared off the line by defenderTommy Smith.[35]
After a two-week international break, Southampton suffered their first loss of the season whenWatford beat them 2–0 at St Mary's.[36]Abdoulaye Doucouré opened the scoring for the visitors shortly before half-time with a 25-yard volley, before substituteDaryl Janmaat doubled his side's lead in the 66th minute with a 30-yard shot.[36] The Saints had only one shot on target the whole match, in injury time at the end of the game.[36] The following week, Southampton beatCrystal Palace 1–0 atSelhurst Park.[37]Steven Davis opened the scoring within six minutes, converting a Dušan Tadić cross from close range.[37] The home side came close either side of half-time, withFraser Forster saving shots fromChristian Benteke andJason Puncheon.[37] On 23 September, Southampton hostedManchester United and lost by a single goal.[38]Romelu Lukaku opened the scoring after 20 minutes, following up after his header from a cross was saved.[38] The hosts almost equalised several times later on, withOriol Romeu coming closest on two occasions, one of which was headed off the line byMarouane Fellaini.[38] Southampton lost again the following week atStoke City.[39] The hosts opened the scoring before half-time through aMame Biram Diouf header, with Forster saving aSaido Berahino penalty a few minutes later.[39] The Saints increased the pressure after the break, withMaya Yoshida scoring a volley in the 75th minute to equalise.[39] Former Southampton strikerPeter Crouch scored ten minutes later to secure the win.[39]
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Southampton drew 2–2 at home withNewcastle United on 15 October.[40]Isaac Hayden opened the scoring in the 20th minute with a long-range shot following an earlier effort that was saved, andJoselu almost made it two before half-time when he hit the crossbar.[40] Shortly after the break, Manolo Gabbiadini equalised for the hosts from close range, but within a minute and a half the visitors had regained the lead throughAyoze Pérez.[40] The Saints were awarded a penalty later on for a foul on Shane Long, which Gabbiadini converted to secure a point for his side.[40] The next week, the club beatWest Bromwich Albion by a single late goal.[41] The Saints enjoyed a number of chances to open the scoring, withRyan Bertrand hitting the crossbar from a free kick andShane Long missing from close range in the first half.[41] Former Southampton strikerJay Rodriguez almost scored for the Baggies later on, but a solo effort fromSofiane Boufal in the 85th minute proved the only break of the game.[41] VisitingBrighton & Hove Albion in their tenth game of the season, Southampton drew 1–1 and moved up to ninth in the table.[42]Steven Davis opened the scoring after seven minutes with his second goal of the campaign, converting a rebound fromJames Ward-Prowse's free-kick.[42]Glenn Murray equalised for the hosts after the break, with the deadlock held for the rest of the game.[42]
Southampton hostedBurnley on 4 November, losing 1–0 and dropping to 13th in the Premier League table.[43] The hosts came close to scoring in the first half and early in the second throughSofiane Boufal,Nathan Redmond andMaya Yoshida, all of whom were denied by saves by goalkeeperNick Pope.[43]Sam Vokes scored the only goal of the match in the last ten minutes, heading in a cross.[43] Two weeks later, the Saints lost again asLiverpool picked up a 3–0 win atAnfield.[44]Mohamed Salah scored the first two goals for the hosts late in the first half, the first following a defensive error by the visitors and the second after a setup fromPhilippe Coutinho.[44] The Brazilian midfielder scored the third goal himself in the second half.[44] The club picked up their first win by more than a single goal of the season the following week, beatingEverton 4–1 at home.[45] The Saints dominated possession throughout the game, withDušan Tadić opened the scoring in the 18th minute.[45]Gylfi Sigurðsson equalised just before half-time, but a brace fromCharlie Austin shortly after the break put the hosts back ahead.[45]Steven Davis scored the fourth goal late on, as Southampton moved up to the top half of the league table.[45] The team faced league leadersManchester City in midweek, losing 2–1 late on.[46]Maya Yoshida missed a close range volley in the visitors' best first-half chance, beforeKevin De Bruyne opened the scoring for the hosts shortly after half time.[46]Oriol Romeu equalised with his first goal of the season in the 75th minute, butRaheem Sterling won the game for City in the final minute of injury time at the end of the match.[46]
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On 3 December, Southampton travelled to nearby rivalsBournemouth, sharing the points in a 1–1 draw.[47] Both teams had a number of chances on goal, but it was the hosts who opened the scoring through wingerRyan Fraser just before half-time, following a defensive error byWesley Hoedt.[47] Shortly after the hour mark,Charlie Austin scored his fourth goal of the season to bring the visitors level.[47] Numerous chances for each side followed, but it ended level as the Saints moved back up to 11th in the table.[47] The following week, the club hostedArsenal in another 1–1 draw.[48] Austin opened the scoring in the third minute, and came close to scoring more early on but for a number of offside decisions.[48] The visitors dominated possession, but struggled to pressure Southampton's goal until two minutes from the end of the game, whenOlivier Giroud headed in an equaliser for the Gunners.[48] Southampton hostedLeicester City three days later in a midweek fixture, succumbing to a 4–1 loss to former managerClaude Puel's side.[49] The Foxes opened the scoring after eleven minutes throughRiyad Mahrez,[49] withShinji Okazaki doubling the lead just over 20 minutes later.[49]Andy King added a third before half-time, Yoshida scored a consolation goal for the hosts just after the hour mark, and Leicester added a fourth through Okazaki's second.[49]
The club lost again in their next match at league championsChelsea.[50]Marcos Alonso scored the only goal on the stroke of half-time, with the hosts continuing to dominate for the rest of the match.[50] The following week, Southampton drew 1–1 at home with promoted sideHuddersfield Town.[51]Charlie Austin opened the scoring in the 24th minute as the result of a corner, withLaurent Depoitre equalising for the visitors in the second half.[51]Maya Yoshida came close to winning the game for the home side in stoppage time at the end of the match, but his header hit the post.[51] After the game, Austin was charged with violent conduct and banned for three matches, after kicking goalkeeperJonas Lössl in the face.[52] The club lost 5–2 atTottenham Hotspur the following week, dropping a place in the table.[53]Harry Kane scored two in the first half from close range, with his first breaking the record for most Premier League goals in a calendar year, previously held byAlan Shearer.[53]Delle Alli scored a third for Spurs just after the break, withSon Heung-min adding a fourth two minutes later.[53]Sofiane Boufal brought one back for the visitors after the hour mark, but Kane completed his hat-trick minutes later.[53]Dušan Tadić scored a second for the Saints late on.[53] In their last game of 2017, the Saints heldManchester United to a goalless draw atOld Trafford.[54]
In their first game of 2018, Southampton lost 2–1 toCrystal Palace.[55]Shane Long scored his first goal since February 2017 to put the hosts up in the first half, but second-half goals fromJames McArthur andLuka Milivojević gave Palace the win.[55] The club's next game, atWatford, ended in a 2–2 draw.[56] The Saints were 2–0 up by half-time, withJames Ward-Prowse scoring his first two league goals of the season before the break.[56]Andre Gray brought a goal back for the hosts in the second half, before Watford secured a point in controversial circumstances whenAbdoulaye Doucouré scored in the final minute of normal time after using his hand.[56] The following week, Southampton hostedTottenham Hotspur and drew 1–1.[57] After a lot of pressure in the opening exchanges, the Saints went 1–0 up in the 15th minute when defenderDavinson Sánchez turned a cross fromRyan Bertrand into his own goal.[57] Three minutes later, however, Spurs were equal through aHarry Kane header from a corner.[57]Jack Stephens almost scored a second for the hosts before half-time, and both chances enjoyed numerous chances to score a winner after the break, but it ended level and Southampton remained in the relegation zone.[57] The club drew 1–1 again in their following game, at home toBrighton & Hove Albion.[58]Glenn Murray opened the scoring with a 14th-minute penalty, after a foul byWesley Hoedt, withJack Stephens equalising in the second half from aJames Ward-Prowse corner.[58]
Southampton picked up their first win in 13 games on 3 February 2018, beating bottom sideWest Bromwich Albion 3–2.[59] The Baggies opened the scoring within five minutes whenAhmed Hegazi headed in a corner fromChris Brunt, but the Saints increased the pressure and dominated much of the rest of the first half.[59] Shortly before the break,Mario Lemina scored his first goal for the club from outside the penalty area andJack Stephens scored his third goal in as many games to put the visitors ahead.[59] Ten minutes into the second half,James Ward-Prowse added a third from a free-kick, beforeSalomón Rondón pulled back a second for the hosts later on.[59] The following week, the Saints hostedLiverpool and lost 2–0.[60]Roberto Firmino opened the scoring in the sixth minute, after being set up byMohamed Salah.[60] The hosts came close to equalising on a number of occasions, but it was the visitors who struck again just before half-time, as Salah scored a goal of his own.[60] On 24 February, Southampton drew 1–1 withBurnley atTurf Moor.[61] Neither side mounted many challenges on goal in the first half, with the hosts opening the scoring 20 minutes into the second half courtesy ofAshley Barnes.[61] The Saints almost scored through substituteJosh Sims but for a save byNick Pope, beforeManolo Gabbiadini scored his first goal since October in the final minute of the game to save a point for the visitors and keep them out of the relegation zone.[61]
On 3 March, Southampton were held to a goalless draw byStoke City at home, dropping to 17th in the table as a result.[62] The visitors came close to scoring at the end of the first half throughBadou Ndiaye, with goalkeeperAlex McCarthy making a save from his header.[62] The hosts had a number of chances in the second half throughJosh Sims,Cédric Soares and substituteSofiane Boufal, but were unable to convert and were held at 0–0.[62] The following week, on 10 March, Southampton lost 3–0 toNewcastle United at St James' Park.[63] Brazilian loaneeKenedy opened the scoring for the hosts within the minute of play, and scored a second in the 29th minute to double Newcastle's advantage.[63] The visitors offered little goal threat, with only two shots on target from the Saints in the second half.[63]Matt Ritchie scored a third for the home side after 57 minutes, wrapping up the three points in convincing style and condemning Southampton to yet another defeat.[63] It would spell the end of Mauricio Pellegrino's tenure as Southampton manager, as he was sacked on 12 March with the club one point above the relegation zone and having won just once in 17 matches.[7] On 14 March, former Southampton playerMark Hughes was appointed as first team manager until the end of the campaign.[8]
After a break for international fixtures, Hughes took charge of his first Southampton league match on 31 March, which saw the Saints lose 3–0 atWest Ham United.[64]João Mário opened the scoring for the home side after just 13 minutes, withMarko Arnautović doubling the Hammers' lead a few minutes later.[64] Southampton offered little in terms of goalscoring opportunities, and before half-time Arnautović scored his second and West Ham's third to secure the win, which saw the visitors drop back into the relegation zone.[64]
The side remained in the relegation zone the following week, after a 3–2 defeat away toArsenal.[65] After a promising start to the game, Southampton opened the scoring whenShane Long beatShkodran Mustafi at the near post.[65] However, ten minutes laterPierre-Emerick Aubameyang equalised beforeDanny Welbeck put the Gunners ahead before half-time.[65]Charlie Austin equalised for Southampton in the 73rd minute just after coming on as a substitute, but Welbeck scored a second to put Arsenal ahead once again.[65] In injury time at the end of the game,Jack Stephens was sent off following an altercation withJack Wilshere, beforeMohamed Elneny was also dismissed.[65] The next week, Southampton were on the receiving end of another 3–2 loss againstChelsea.[66] The home side opened the scoring after 21 minutes, whenDušan Tadić tapped in his fourth goal of the season from aRyan Bertrand cross.[66] After continuing to enjoy the majority of chances on goal, the Saints doubled their lead shortly after half-time when Premier League debutantJan Bednarek scored fromJames Ward-Prowse's free-kick.[66] However, Chelsea took the lead during an eight-minute period in which they scored three times – first, substituteOlivier Giroud headed in fromMarcos Alonso's cross, thenEden Hazard scored, followed by a second for Giroud.[66]
The following week, Southampton were held to a goalless draw atLeicester City.[67] The game included very few chances on goal, withShane Long andJamie Vardy coming closest to breaking the deadlock for either side in the second half.[67] On 28 April, Southampton picked up their first home win since November when they beat local rivalsBournemouth 2–1 at St Mary's.[68] The Cherries started the stronger of the sides, but the Saints opened the scoring after 25 minutes whenDušan Tadić scored after a counter-attack which was set up from a Bournemouth corner.[68] Despite enjoying the majority of pressure throughout the rest of the half, the hosts conceded on the stroke of half-time whenJoshua King scored a volley from a corner.[68] The visitors started the second half with the stronger approach, but it was the hosts who scored next ten minutes after the break as Tadić doubled his tally to put his side ahead.[68]Charlie Austin andShane Long came close to scoring a third, before Bournemouth increased the pressure towards the end and almost equalised throughRyan Fraser in stoppage time, but for a save byAlex McCarthy.[68]
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Southampton drew their next match againstEverton to move out of the relegation zone for the first time in five matches. After a first half with very few chances for either side, substituteNathan Redmond opened the scoring for the Saints when he converted from aCédric Soares setup.[69]Maya Yoshida was sent off five minutes before the end of the game.[69] The hosts equalised in the last minute of added time at the end of the match, shortly after goalkeeperAlex McCarthy deniedLeighton Baines, when a shot fromTom Davies deflected offWesley Hoedt.[69] In their penultimate game of the season, Southampton edged outSwansea City to all but secure their place in the next season's Premier League.[70] The visiting Saints opened the scoring in the second half again, with substituteManolo Gabbiadini scoring his first goal since February from a corner.[70]Charlie Austin had several chances on goal throughout both halves but failed to convert any, although Southampton still held on for the win to move up to 16th in the league table ahead ofHuddersfield Town on goal difference.[70]
In their final game of the season, Southampton hosted new Premier League championsManchester City on 13 May. The Saints went into the game almost guaranteed of safety, withSwansea City needing to beatStoke City by a large margin in order to survive, although a point for the South Coast club would secure at least 17th position.[71] The hosts arguably enjoyed more chances on goal than the champions, with centre-backsJack Stephens andWesley Hoedt both almost scoring early in the first half – the former after a long run through the middle of the pitch, and the latter with a header which hit the crossbar.[71] After the half-time break, City increased the pressure asRaheem Sterling beatAlex McCarthy with a shot that hit the post, andJohn Stones came close with a header that the Saints goalkeeper tipped over the crossbar.[71]Dušan Tadić saw a shot cleared off the line later in the game, but it was the visitors who scored the only goal with one of the final touches of the game, whenGabriel Jesus chipped McCarthy in the fourth minute of added time, helping the club set new Premier League season records of 100 points, 16 away wins and 106 goals.[71]
| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification or relegation |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 15 | Brighton & Hove Albion | 38 | 9 | 13 | 16 | 34 | 54 | −20 | 40 | |
| 16 | Huddersfield Town | 38 | 9 | 10 | 19 | 28 | 58 | −30 | 37 | |
| 17 | Southampton | 38 | 7 | 15 | 16 | 37 | 56 | −19 | 36 | |
| 18 | Swansea City(R) | 38 | 8 | 9 | 21 | 28 | 56 | −28 | 33 | Relegation toEFL Championship |
| 19 | Stoke City(R) | 38 | 7 | 12 | 19 | 35 | 68 | −33 | 33 |
| 12 August 20171 | Southampton | 0–0 | Swansea City | Southampton |
| 15:00BST | Report | Stadium:St Mary's Stadium Attendance: 31,447 Referee:Mike Jones |
| 19 August 20172 | Southampton | 3–2 | West Ham United | Southampton |
| 15:00BST | Gabbiadini 11' Tadić 38' (pen.)Austin 90+1' (pen.) | Report | Hernández 45',74' | Stadium:St Mary's Stadium Attendance: 31,424 Referee:Lee Mason |
| 26 August 20173 | Huddersfield Town | 0–0 | Southampton | Huddersfield |
| 15:00BST | Report | Stadium:Kirklees Stadium Attendance: 23,548 Referee:Stuart Attwell |
| 9 September 20174 | Southampton | 0–2 | Watford | Southampton |
| 15:00BST | Report | Doucouré 38' Janmaat 66' | Stadium:St Mary's Stadium Attendance: 31,435 Referee:Lee Probert |
| 16 September 20175 | Crystal Palace | 0–1 | Southampton | London |
| 12:30BST | Report | Davis 6' | Stadium:Selhurst Park Attendance: 24,199 Referee:Bobby Madley |
| 23 September 20176 | Southampton | 0–1 | Manchester United | Southampton |
| 15:00BST | Report | Lukaku 20' | Stadium:St Mary's Stadium Attendance: 31,930 Referee:Craig Pawson |
| 30 September 20177 | Stoke City | 2–1 | Southampton | Stoke-on-Trent |
| 15:00BST | Diouf 40' Crouch 85' | Yoshida 75' | Stadium:bet365 Stadium Attendance: 29,285 Referee:Mike Jones |
| 15 October 20178 | Southampton | 2–2 | Newcastle United | Southampton |
| 16:00BST | Gabbiadini 49',75' (pen.) | Report | Hayden 20' Pérez 51' | Stadium:St Mary's Stadium Attendance: 31,437 Referee:Kevin Friend |
| 21 October 20179 | Southampton | 1–0 | West Bromwich Albion | Southampton |
| 17:30BST | Boufal 85' | Report | Stadium:St Mary's Stadium Attendance: 29,947 Referee:Graham Scott |
| 29 October 201710 | Brighton & Hove Albion | 1–1 | Southampton | Brighton and Hove |
| 13:30BST | Murray 52' | Report | Davis 7' | Stadium:Falmer Stadium Attendance: 30,564 Referee:Neil Swarbrick |
| 4 November 201711 | Southampton | 0–1 | Burnley | Southampton |
| 15:00GMT | Report | Vokes 81' | Stadium:St Mary's Stadium Attendance: 30,491 Referee:Lee Probert |
| 18 November 201712 | Liverpool | 3–0 | Southampton | Liverpool |
| 15:00GMT | Salah 31',41' Coutinho 68' | Report | Stadium:Anfield Attendance: 53,256 Referee:Mike Jones |
| 26 November 201713 | Southampton | 4–1 | Everton | Southampton |
| 13:30GMT | Tadić 18' Austin 52',58'Davis 87' | Report | Sigurðsson 45' | Stadium:St Mary's Stadium Attendance: 30,461 Referee:Kevin Friend |
| 29 November 201714 | Manchester City | 2–1 | Southampton | Manchester |
| 20:00GMT | De Bruyne 47' Sterling 90+6' | Report | Romeu 75' | Stadium:City of Manchester Stadium Attendance: 53,407 Referee:Paul Tierney |
| 3 December 201715 | Bournemouth | 1–1 | Southampton | Bournemouth |
| 13:30GMT | Fraser 42' | Report | Austin 61' | Stadium:Dean Court Attendance: 10,764 Referee:Jonathan Moss |
| 10 December 201716 | Southampton | 1–1 | Arsenal | Southampton |
| 12:00GMT | Austin 3' | Report | Giroud 88' | Stadium:St Mary's Stadium Attendance: 31,643 Referee:Bobby Madley |
| 13 December 201717 | Southampton | 1–4 | Leicester City | Southampton |
| 19:45GMT | Yoshida 61' | Report | Mahrez 11' Okazaki 31',69'King 38' | Stadium:St Mary's Stadium Attendance: 27,714 Referee:Chris Kavanagh |
| 16 December 201718 | Chelsea | 1–0 | Southampton | London |
| 15:00GMT | Alonso 45+3' | Report | Stadium:Stamford Bridge Attendance: 41,562 Referee:Roger East |
| 23 December 201719 | Southampton | 1–1 | Huddersfield Town | Southampton |
| 15:00GMT | Austin 24' | Report | Depoitre 64' | Stadium:St Mary's Stadium Attendance: 29,675 Referee:Lee Probert |
| 26 December 201720 | Tottenham Hotspur | 5–2 | Southampton | London |
| 12:30GMT | Kane 22',39',67' Alli 49'Son 51' | Report | Boufal 64' Tadić 82' | Stadium:Wembley Stadium Attendance: 55,412 Referee:Graham Scott |
| 30 December 201721 | Manchester United | 0–0 | Southampton | Manchester |
| 17:30GMT | Report | Stadium:Old Trafford Attendance: 75,051 Referee:Craig Pawson |
| 2 January 201822 | Southampton | 1–2 | Crystal Palace | Southampton |
| 19:45GMT | Long 17' | Report | McArthur 69' Milivojević 80' | Stadium:St Mary's Stadium Attendance: 28,411 Referee:Stuart Attwell |
| 13 January 201823 | Watford | 2–2 | Southampton | Watford |
| 15:00GMT | Gray 58' Doucouré 90' | Report | Ward-Prowse 20',44' | Stadium:Vicarage Road Attendance: 20,018 Referee:Roger East |
| 21 January 201824 | Southampton | 1–1 | Tottenham Hotspur | Southampton |
| 16:00GMT | Sánchez 15' (o.g.) | Report | Kane 18' | Stadium:St Mary's Stadium Attendance: 31,361 Referee:Kevin Friend |
| 31 January 201825 | Southampton | 1–1 | Brighton & Hove Albion | Southampton |
| 19:45GMT | Stephens 64' | Report | Murray 14' (pen.) | Stadium:St Mary's Stadium Attendance: 30,034 Referee:Mike Dean |
| 3 February 201826 | West Bromwich Albion | 2–3 | Southampton | West Bromwich |
| 15:00GMT | Hegazi 4' Rondón 72' | Report | Lemina 40' Stephens 43'Ward-Prowse 55' | Stadium:The Hawthorns Attendance: 25,911 Referee:Michael Olver |
| 11 February 201827 | Southampton | 0–2 | Liverpool | Southampton |
| 16:30GMT | Report | Firmino 6' Salah 42' | Stadium:St Mary's Stadium Attendance: 31,915 Referee:Martin Atkinson |
| 24 February 201828 | Burnley | 1–1 | Southampton | Burnley |
| 15:00GMT | Barnes 67' | Report | Gabbiadini 90' | Stadium:Turf Moor Referee:Bobby Madley |
| 3 March 201829 | Southampton | 0–0 | Stoke City | Southampton |
| 15:00GMT | Report | Stadium:St Mary's Stadium Attendance: 30,335 Referee:Anthony Taylor |
| 10 March 201830 | Newcastle United | 3–0 | Southampton | Newcastle upon Tyne |
| 15:00GMT | Kenedy 2',29' Ritchie 57' | Report | Stadium:St. James' Park Attendance: 52,246 Referee:Andre Marriner |
| 31 March 201831 | West Ham United | 3–0 | Southampton | London |
| 15:00BST | João Mário 13' Arnautović 17',45+4' | Report | Stadium:Olympic Stadium Attendance: 56,882 Referee:Jonathan Moss |
| 8 April 201832 | Arsenal | 3–2 | Southampton | London |
| 14:15BST | Aubameyang 28' Welbeck 38',81' | Report | Long 17' Austin 73' | Stadium:Emirates Stadium Attendance: 59,374 Referee:Andre Marriner |
| 14 April 201833 | Southampton | 2–3 | Chelsea | Southampton |
| 12:30BST | Tadić 21' Bednarek 60' | Report | Giroud 70',78' Hazard 75' | Stadium:St Mary's Stadium Attendance: 31,764 Referee:Mike Dean |
| 19 April 201834 | Leicester City | 0–0 | Southampton | Leicester |
| 19:45BST | Report | Stadium:King Power Stadium Attendance: 31,160 Referee:Roger East |
| 28 April 201835 | Southampton | 2–1 | Bournemouth | Southampton |
| 15:00BST | Tadić 25',54' | Report | King 45+1' | Stadium:St Mary's Stadium Attendance: 31,778 Referee:Anthony Taylor |
| 5 May 201836 | Everton | 1–1 | Southampton | Liverpool |
| 17:30BST | Davies 90+6' | Report | Redmond 56' | Stadium:Goodison Park Attendance: 38,225 Referee:Jonathan Moss |
| 8 May 201837 | Swansea City | 0–1 | Southampton | Swansea |
| 19:45BST | Report | Gabbiadini 72' | Stadium:Liberty Stadium Attendance: 20,858 Referee:Michael Oliver |
| 13 May 201838 | Southampton | 0–1 | Manchester City | Southampton |
| 15:00BST | Gabriel Jesus 90+5' | Stadium:St Mary's Stadium Attendance: 31,882 Referee:Andre Marriner |
Southampton entered the2017–18 FA Cup in the third round, beatingChampionship sideFulham by a single goal.[73]James Ward-Prowse set up a number of goalscoring opportunities early in the game, before himself opening the scoring in the 29th minute.[73] The visitors could have doubled their lead on many occasions in the second half, withPierre-Emile Højbjerg coming close to scoring shortly after the break.[73] The hosts threatened the Southampton goal a number of times, but the Saints came closest to scoring the next goal asJack Stephens hit the crossbar with a close-range header later on.[73]
The club hosted fellow Premier League sideWatford in the fourth round of the tournament on 27 January, again winning 1–0 to advance to the fifth round for the first time since the2013–14 season.[74] The home side opened the scoring early on, when centre-backJack Stephens scored his first goal for the club in the fourth minute, converting afterShane Long's shot was saved.[74] The Saints had many more chances to score in the first half, but were unable to double their lead. Watford almost equalised late on, but Southampton held on for the win.[74]Guido Carrillo made his debut for the club as a late substitute.[74]
In the fifth round, Southampton beatWest Bromwich Albion 2–1 to advance to the quarter-finals for the first time since the2004–05 season.[75] Centre-backWesley Hoedt opened the scoring in the eleventh minute with his first goal for the club, converting fromJames Ward-Prowse's corner.[75] The Saints dominated the rest of the first half, and eventually scored a second ten minutes after the break throughDušan Tadić, who chipped goalkeeperBen Foster after a counter-attack from his side's own half.[75]Salomón Rondón scored for the hosts a minute later, but the visitors held on until the end to reach the quarter-finals.[75]
On 18 March, Southampton beatLeague One sideWigan Athletic 2–0 to advance to the semi-finals for the first time since the2002–03 season.[76] The first half was largely dominated by the lower league hosts, who had three clear chances to score but failed to convert any.[76] The Saints came out strong after half-time, withManolo Gabbiadini missing a one-on-one with goalkeeperChristian Walton early on.[76]Pierre-Emile Højbjerg later opened the scoring after 62 minutes with his first goal for the club, converting from a corner.[76] Gabbiadini had another chance to score for his side from the penalty spot ten minutes later, but saw his effort saved by Walton again.[76]Cédric Soares finally doubled Southampton's lead in injury time to send them through to the penultimate round of the tournament.[76]
Southampton facedChelsea in the semi-final of the FA Cup atWembley Stadium on 22 April 2018. The Saints held off pressure from Chelsea in the first half to go into the break goalless, withWillian hitting the crossbar in the best chance of the first period.[5] However,Olivier Giroud opened the scoring less than a minute after the restart, beating several defenders and goalkeeperAlex McCarthy after being put through in the box byEden Hazard.[5]Shane Long missed a one-on-one chance with Chelsea goalkeeperWilly Caballero, whileCharlie Austin saw several chances on goal save or go wide of the posts.[5] Chelsea doubled their lead late on after bringing onAlvaro Morata, who headed in a cross fromCésar Azpilicueta to secure a place in the final and send Southampton out of the tournament.[5]
| 6 January 2018Round 3 | Fulham | 0–1 | Southampton | London |
| 15:00GMT | Report | Ward-Prowse 29' | Stadium:Craven Cottage Attendance: 17,327 Referee:Michael Oliver |
| 27 January 2018Round 4 | Southampton | 1–0 | Watford | Southampton |
| 15:00 | Stephens 4' | Report | Stadium:St Mary's Stadium Attendance: 25,195 Referee:Bobby Madley |
| 17 February 2018Round 5 | West Bromwich Albion | 1–2 | Southampton | West Bromwich |
| 15:00GMT | Rondón 58' | Report | Hoedt 11' Tadić 56' | Stadium:The Hawthorns Attendance: 17,600 Referee:Chris Kavanagh |
| 18 March 2018Quarter-Final | Wigan Athletic | 0–2 | Southampton | Wigan |
| 13:30GMT | Report | Højbjerg 62' Soares 90+1' | Stadium:DW Stadium Attendance: 17,110 Referee:Michael Oliver |
| 22 April 2018Semi-Final | Chelsea | 2–0 | Southampton | London |
| 15:00BST | Giroud 46' Morata 82' | Report | Stadium:Wembley Stadium Attendance: 73,416 Referee:Martin Atkinson |
Southampton were knocked out of the2017–18 EFL Cup in their first match of the tournament, losing 2–0 in the second round toChampionship clubWolverhampton Wanderers.[4] Wolves almost opened the scoring within ten minutes throughNouha Dicko, with Southampton's best chance of the first half coming just before the break as shots fromJan Bednarek andJérémy Pied were saved byWill Norris, beforeDušan Tadić shot wide.[4]Danny Batth opened the scoring for the visitors in the 67th minute when he headed in a corner, beforeDonovan Wilson doubled the lead 20 minutes later to secure the third round for the Championship side.[4]
| 23 August 2017Round 2 | Southampton | 0–2 | Wolverhampton Wanderers | Southampton |
| 19:45BST | Report | Batth 67' Wilson 87' | Stadium:St Mary's Stadium Attendance: 17,931 Referee: James Linington |
| No. | Pos. | Nat. | Name | League | FA Cup | EFL Cup | Total | Discipline | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Apps. | Goals | Apps. | Goals | Apps. | Goals | Apps. | Goals |  |  | ||||
| 2 | DF |  | Cédric Soares | 32 | 0 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 36 | 1 | 3 | 0 |
| 3 | DF |  | Maya Yoshida | 23(1) | 2 | 2(1) | 0 | 1 | 0 | 26(2) | 2 | 3 | 1 |
| 5 | DF |  | Jack Stephens | 22 | 2 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 27 | 3 | 6 | 1 |
| 6 | DF |  | Wesley Hoedt | 28 | 0 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 32 | 1 | 8 | 0 |
| 7 | FW |  | Shane Long | 15(15) | 2 | 3(1) | 0 | 0(1) | 0 | 18(17) | 2 | 6 | 0 |
| 8 | MF |  | Steven Davis | 17(6) | 3 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 19(6) | 3 | 0 | 0 |
| 9 | FW |  | Guido Carrillo | 5(2) | 0 | 2(1) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 7(3) | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| 10 | FW | | Charlie Austin | 10(14) | 7 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 12(14) | 7 | 3 | 0 |
| 11 | MF |  | Dušan Tadić | 34(2) | 6 | 3(1) | 1 | 1 | 0 | 38(3) | 7 | 4 | 0 |
| 13 | GK | | Alex McCarthy | 18 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 23 | 0 | 2 | 0 |
| 14 | MF |  | Oriol Romeu | 34 | 1 | 3(2) | 0 | 1 | 0 | 38(2) | 1 | 13 | 0 |
| 16 | MF | | James Ward-Prowse | 20(10) | 3 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 23(10) | 4 | 3 | 0 |
| 18 | MF |  | Mario Lemina | 20(5) | 1 | 3(1) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 23(6) | 1 | 4 | 0 |
| 19 | MF |  | Sofiane Boufal | 11(15) | 2 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 15(15) | 2 | 1 | 0 |
| 20 | FW |  | Manolo Gabbiadini | 11(17) | 5 | 1(3) | 0 | 0(1) | 0 | 12(21) | 5 | 2 | 0 |
| 21 | DF | | Ryan Bertrand | 35 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 40 | 0 | 2 | 0 |
| 22 | MF | | Nathan Redmond | 22(9) | 1 | 1(3) | 0 | 0(1) | 0 | 23(13) | 1 | 3 | 0 |
| 23 | MF |  | Pierre-Emile Højbjerg | 19(4) | 0 | 5 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 24(4) | 1 | 5 | 0 |
| 26 | DF |  | Jérémy Pied | 2 | 0 | 0(1) | 0 | 1 | 0 | 3(1) | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 28 | GK | | Stuart Taylor | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 30 | DF | | Will Wood | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 32 | DF | | Alfie Jones | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 34 | MF | | Jake Flannigan | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 35 | DF |  | Jan Bednarek | 5 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 8 | 1 | 2 | 0 |
| 38 | DF | | Sam McQueen | 1(6) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2(6) | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 39 | MF | | Josh Sims | 1(5) | 0 | 0(1) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1(6) | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 42 | MF | | Jake Hesketh | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| 43 | DF | | Yan Valery | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 44 | GK | | Fraser Forster | 20 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 21 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 61 | FW | | Michael Obafemi | 0(1) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0(1) | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Players with appearances who left during the season | |||||||||||||
| 17 | DF | | Virgil van Dijk | 11(1) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 11(1) | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Players with appearances who ended the season on loan | |||||||||||||
| 33 | DF | | Matt Targett | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| # | Pos. | Nat. | Name | League | FA Cup | EFL Cup | Total | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Starts | Subs | Starts | Subs | Starts | Subs | Starts | Subs | Total | ||||
| 1 | MF | | Dušan Tadić | 34 | 2 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 38 | 3 | 41 |
| 2 | DF | | Ryan Bertrand | 35 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 40 | 0 | 40 |
| MF | | Oriol Romeu | 34 | 0 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 38 | 2 | 40 | |
| 4 | DF | | Cédric Soares | 32 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 36 | 0 | 36 |
| MF | | Nathan Redmond | 22 | 9 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 23 | 13 | 36 | |
| 6 | FW | | Shane Long | 15 | 15 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 18 | 17 | 35 |
| 7 | MF | | James Ward-Prowse | 20 | 10 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 23 | 10 | 33 |
| FW | | Manolo Gabbiadini | 11 | 17 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 12 | 21 | 33 | |
| 9 | DF | | Wesley Hoedt | 28 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 32 | 0 | 32 |
| 10 | MF | | Sofiane Boufal | 11 | 15 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 15 | 15 | 30 |
| # | Pos. | Nat. | Name | League | FA Cup | EFL Cup | Total | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Goals | Apps. | Goals | Apps. | Goals | Apps. | Goals | Apps. | GPG | |||||
| 1 | FW | | Charlie Austin | 7 | 24 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 7 | 26 | 0.26 | |
| MF | | Dušan Tadić | 6 | 36 | 1 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 7 | 41 | 0.17 | ||
| 3 | FW | | Manolo Gabbiadini | 5 | 28 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 5 | 33 | 0.15 | |
| 4 | MF | | James Ward-Prowse | 3 | 30 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 4 | 33 | 0.12 | |
| 5 | MF | | Steven Davis | 3 | 23 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 25 | 0.12 | |
| DF | | Jack Stephens | 2 | 22 | 1 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 27 | 0.11 | ||
| 7 | DF | | Maya Yoshida | 2 | 23 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 27 | 0.07 | |
| MF | | Sofiane Boufal | 2 | 26 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 30 | 0.06 | ||
| FW | | Shane Long | 2 | 30 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 35 | 0.05 | ||
| 10 | DF | | Jan Bednarek | 1 | 5 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 8 | 0.12 | |
| MF | | Pierre-Emile Højbjerg | 0 | 23 | 1 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 28 | 0.03 | ||
| MF | | Mario Lemina | 1 | 25 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 29 | 0.03 | ||
| DF | | Cédric Soares | 0 | 32 | 1 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 36 | 0.02 | ||
| MF | | Nathan Redmond | 1 | 32 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 37 | 0.02 | ||
| MF | | Oriol Romeu | 1 | 34 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 40 | 0.02 | ||
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Players transferred in
| Date | Pos. | Name | Club | Fee | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 July 2017 | DF | Jan Bednarek | Lech Poznań | £5 million | [19] |
| 8 August 2017 | MF | Mario Lemina | Juventus | £15.4 million | [20] |
| 14 August 2017 | GK | Jack Rose | None (free agent) | [21] | |
| 22 August 2017 | DF | Wesley Hoedt | Lazio | £15 million | [22] |
| 25 January 2018 | FW | Guido Carrillo | AS Monaco | £19 million | [26] |
Players transferred out
| Date | Pos. | Name | Club | Fee | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 13 June 2017 | DF | Jason McCarthy | Barnsley | Undisclosed | [10] |
| 2 July 2017 | FW | Jay Rodriguez | West Bromwich Albion | £12 million | [11] |
| 23 August 2017 | GK | Paulo Gazzaniga | Tottenham Hotspur | Undisclosed | [12] |
| 1 January 2018 | DF | Virgil van Dijk | Liverpool | £75 million | [23] |
Players loaned out
| Start date | Pos. | Name | Club | End date | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5 July 2017 | MF | Harrison Reed | Norwich City | End of season | [13] |
| 9 July 2017 | FW | Olufela Olomola | Yeovil Town | 3 January 2018 | [18] |
| 14 July 2017 | GK | Harry Lewis |  Dundee United | End of season | [14] |
| 21 July 2017 | FW | Ryan Seager | Milton Keynes Dons | 26 January 2018 | [15] |
| 21 August 2017 | FW | Sam Gallagher | Birmingham City | End of season | [16] |
| 30 August 2017 | MF | Jordy Clasie |  Club Brugge | End of season | [17] |
| 5 January 2018 | FW | Marcus Barnes | Yeovil Town | End of season | [24] |
| 22 January 2018 | DF | Matt Targett | Fulham | End of season | [25] |
| 26 January 2018 | FW | Ryan Seager | Yeovil Town | End of season | [27] |
| 31 January 2018 | DF | Ollie Cook | Barrow | End of season | [77] |
| 19 February 2018 | DF |  Florin Gardoș | Universitatea Craiova | End of season | [78] |
Players released
| Date | Pos. | Name | Subsequent club | Join date | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 30 June 2017 | MF |  Lloyd Isgrove | Barnsley | 2 July 2017 | [9][79] |
| 30 June 2017 | DF |  Cuco Martina | Everton | 17 July 2017 | [9][80] |
| 30 June 2017 | MF | Harley Willard | Maidstone United | 21 July 2017 | [9][81] |
| 30 June 2017 | DF |  Martín Cáceres | Hellas Verona | 4 August 2017 | [9][82] |
