Southampton got their campaign going with a 0-0 draw against Burnley, in a game which turned out to be a battle between the two English goalkeepers.
Mark Hughes handed league debuts to two of the new signings as Jannik Vestergaard and Stuart Armstrong were both in the starting 11, while Angus Gunn, Danny Ings and Mo Elyounoussi were named amongst the substitutes.
It was the visitors who started off as the brighter side and already had the ball in the net after seven minutes, but it was disallowed as former Saint, Jack Cork was deemed to have been offside as he slotted the ball past Alex McCarthy from Jóhann Berg Guðmundsson’s free kick.
McCarthy was called into action minutes later, as the ball was lofted into the air, and some defensive miscommunication between Wesley Hoedt and Vestergaard, allowed Aaron Lennon to drive into the box, one-on-one, and McCarthy reduced the angle and put the ball behind for a corner with a fantastic save.
On the brink of half-time, the Saints ‘keeper made yet again another save as another Guðmundsson free-kick was lofted in, and met by Ben Mee at the far post, who attempted a bicycle kick which turned into a great cross for his team-mate Jeff Hendrick, but his header was denied by McCarthy.
Hughes made changes in the 56th minute as he brought on both Ings and Elyounoussi and that instantly changed the game for Saints, as chances started falling their way.
From a Southampton corner, Mee almost put the ball into his own net, as he met the ball and headed it towards Joe Hart’s goal, but thankfully for him, Ashley Westwood was stood on the line.
A cross from Ings from the left-hand side was whipped in towards the far post to an unmarked Jack Stephens playing as a right-back in a 4-4-2, but his near-post shot was well dealt with by Hart.
A draw is not the most disappointing result in the world, against a well-drilled Burnley set-up.
Ings and Elyounoussi definitely made the difference as Saints looked threatening once in the final third. Nathan Redmond had bright sparks in the game, while Vestergaard was a unit at the back.
Armstrong also drove the Saints forward at every opportunity but was unfortunate to have picked up that injury and hopefully it’s not a serious one. Saints next travel to Goodison Park to face Everton on Saturday.
