Saints kick off the 2017/18 campaign as they host Swansea City at St Mary’s Stadium.
With new arrivals Jan Bednarek and Mario Lemina looking to enter the fray, Mauricio Pellegrino’s side will be keen to make the best start possible to the season, and aim to take the spoils on Saturday.
Southampton have had a mixed pre-season, recording victories over Saint-Etienne and Sevilla, draws against St Gallen and Brentford, whilst losing at the hands of FC Augsburg.
Swansea’s unbeaten pre-season tour of America was complemented by a resounding win over Sampdoria, however a setback against Barnet at the start of pre-season was Paul Clement’s only worry.
Tammy Abraham and Roque Mesa could feature for the Swans, who managed to escape relegation last season.
With both sides firmly in the transfer limelight, neither Saints captain Virgil van Dijk or Swansea catalyst Gylfi Sigurdsson will make an appearance for their respective sides, as their futures are yet to be decided.
So, here are five things to look out for in Saints’ Premier League curtain raiser!
Mario Lemina's debut
New record signing Mario Lemina could make his first Southampton appearance against Swansea.
After joining from Serie A champions Juventus for a fee of €17m, rising to €20m, Lemina is unlikely to start, but could come off the bench to be introduced to the Saints crowd.
A potentially sloppy match
As the new season begins, it is a well known fact that opening day games are usually a little bit sloppy and lacklustre.
The teams have to gel, new signings have to adapt to the pace of the Premier League, and proceedings could become a bit desperate as both teams look to make the best start possible to the new campaign.
However, that’s not to say that the match may not be enthralling!
Attacking threat from both sides
Both sides have top quality in the attacking department, with Charlie Austin and Manolo Gabbiadini almost guaranteeing Saints goals, along with Sofiane Boufal and Nathan Redmond potentially sticking their nose in.
However, Swansea could hurt Saints at the back. Tammy Abraham is a dangerous forward and could cause some havoc.
A Sofiane Boufal masterclass
One player who got a bit too much stick last season was Sofiane Boufal. He showed glimpses of his ability with his tricks and two goals, but the majority of the time his final product lacked.
In pre-season, it was evident that his confidence levels are high, and with the way things have been set up for Saints so far, Boufal could have a very influential impact on the side this season.
This prospect will please many Saints fans alike, as Boufal could be gifted the perfect opportunity to express himself and show his true colours.
Weakness from Forster?
One thing that frustrated me most about Saints last season was Fraser Forster’s inconsistency.
Too many errors and weaknesses cost us matches, but no changes seem to be made. A prime example of this was the pre-season clash at Brentford, where Forster squandered Saints’ lead as he dropped a cross into his own net.
His lack of communication allows too many forwards to score from close range when he perhaps could have come out, and this needs to be cut out of his game.
However on some occasions he has a blinder. Last seasons two trips to Anfield saw Forster on the top of his game, as a fingertip save saw us secure a trip to Wembley, and a penalty save helped us to a point in the league.
But as the new season begins, Forster looks a bit dodgy, and this could be demonstrated once again against Swansea on Saturday.