Two ex-Saints to look out for against Sheffield United

Southampton return to Premier League action this weekend when they make the trip to face Sheffield United at Bramall Lane.

Ralph Hasenhuttl’s side have picked up four points from a possible six in their last two games and will hope to go three top-flight games unbeaten on Saturday.

Sheffield United have made a decent start to life back in the Premier League after a 12-year absence, sitting in 10th place after four games.

The Blades have a couple of familiar faces that Saints fans will recognise from down the years, but who are they?

Billy Sharp

Sharp linked up with Saints at the end of the January transfer window in 2012. He was an integral part of the side that earned promotion to the Premier League at the end of that season, contributing with nine goals.

He will be greatly remembered for his derby-day double against Portsmouth in the 2-2 draw at St Mary’s, as well as his opening goal against Coventry City on the final day of the season, where he deflected in Adam Lallana’s shot to set Saints on course for promotion.

He has since returned to his boyhood club after several loan stints at various Championship clubs and fired United into the top flight last season.

The Blades captain scored his first Premier League goal with an 88th-minute equaliser against Bournemouth on the opening day of the campaign and looks set to lead his team out against his former club Southampton this weekend.

David McGoldrick

David McGoldrick signed for Southampton at the tender age of 16 back in 2004. He featured for the team that reached the FA Youth Cup final in 2005, where they were on the wrong end of an aggregate defeat to Ipswich Town.

After a couple of loan spells away, gaining first-team experience, McGoldrick made his first appearance for Saints in the 2005 League Cup in a 1-0 win over Mansfield Town.

His first goal came in 2006 when he completed the scoring in a 4-0 win against Millwall.

Over a five-year spell on the South Coast, McGoldrick racked up 64 appearances, scoring 12 goals before eventually departing after Saints suffered relegation to League One.

As of last season, one of McGoldrick’s old Saints teammates Martin Cranie was on the books at Bramall Lane, but he joined Luton Town after his contract expired in the summer.