Dan takes a look at this season's opening game at home to a depleted Swansea City side who are already being tipped for relegation, can Saints get off to a good start.

On Saturday, Southampton take on their Premier League counterparts Swansea in the highly anticipated first game of the 2017/18. Southampton will be able to put out a rather full-strength side at St.Mary’s with a possible debut for club-record signing Mario Lemina, however Swansea will be without star players Gylfi Sigurdsson and Fernando Llorente, making their side rather weak and potentially similar to that of a Championship side.

After an overall positive pre-season with two wins, two draws, and a loss in the friendly matches alongside what seemed like vigorous drills to allow the players to regain and possibly improve their fitness levels ahead of the new campaign, new manager Mauricio Pellegrino looks like he has made his side ready for a season that seems like it could be a clear improvement to that of Claude Puel; we are mainly talking in terms of style of football.

But on to Swansea, last season’s 15th placed side will hope to look on from last season’s efforts, or lack of them, as before the shrewd appointment of Paul Clement the side looked almost destined for relegation.

They have invested in an £11m midfielder from Las Palmas to replace former-Saint Jack Cork who has departed for Burnley. Alongside Roque Mesa, Swansea have earned the signature of exciting prospect Tammy Abraham on loan from Chelsea.

The young striker was impressive at Championship side Bristol City last season and he will now look to finally conquer the Premier League, albeit with one of the worse sides. However, without Llorente and Sigurdsson in the team, Swansea won’t be anywhere near as impressive, on paper that is.

Prediction: Without the signing of a first-choice centre-back or bringing Virgil Van Dijk back into the team, I feel like we may concede goals against these sorts of teams who don’t have as much attacking threat but I do think that we will be able to get a couple of goals against Swansea which is so important as the fans need to get behind the team again, especially as they are now under a new manager. I’m hoping for an impressive 3-1 win which will really help kick start the new season under Pellegrino!

Photo: Action Images

A_Saint_in_Stoke added 11:54 - Aug 11 Am I the only one that is nervous of what our team will play like - and am praying for 3 points.
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SaintPaulVW added 12:28 - Aug 11 I'd be delighted if it was 3-0 but we always start slow, hoping for a disjointed but promising 1-0. COYR!
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SaintBrock added 14:01 - Aug 11 No faint hearts please the clubs are in the same position in their preparations, both works in progress. It'll be a cautious game for both sides. We should have the edge with us lot behind them and arguably a more settled team carried over from last year.
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patred added 16:50 - Aug 11 3-1 would be a great start, hope we can do that, but we are nowhere near a balanced side yet. So a stumbling victory is all we can hope for IMO, 2-1 at best. Any win will do for me.
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