MATCH PREVIEW: Southampton vs. Charlton Athletic - Saturday 21st February 2026 - 3pm Kick-Off
Southampton vs. Charlton Athletic
Saturday 21st February 2026 - 3pm Kick-Off
Referee: John Busby
Introduction
Charlton head into the weekend looking to bounce back from a disappointing performance on Tuesday night. Despite a promising opening, the Addicks never truly coped with the press from Portsmouth, with the visitors running out deserved 1-3 victors. It was a disappointing score line after Charlton seemingly turned a corner across the course of the previous three games, not that there won't be more setbacks between now and our visit to South Wales.
The Opposition
Name: Southampton (10th) - Manager: Tonda Eckert
Ground: St. Mary's Stadium
Previous Result: Leicester 3-4 Southampton
This weekend will see a reversal in roles, from hosting a club from the South Coast, to visiting a team on the South Coast. The Addicks make the trip to St. Mary's this coming Saturday looking to bounce back from a 1-5 defeat at the hands of Southampton back in November.
Southampton's start to the season under Will Still was never going to last, the Saints picked up just two wins in their first thirteen games; Will Still was sacked, just three games before Southampton visited SE7, and in his place was put Caretaker Manager: Tonda Eckert, and six wins out of seven was enough to give him the job on a permanent basis. Southampton then stuttered, they didn't win in seven games, picking up three draws in the process meaning their escape from the relegation battle wasn't quite so straightforward.
Form has picked up though, and they've now not lost since a 1-2 defeat at the hands of visiting Hull City, with four wins and a solitary draw in recent weeks, albeit just two of those games have been on the South Coast... The returning James Bree has played in the last four games having had a successful first half of the season on loan in SE7, including being part of a 3-4 comeback against Leicester City last time out.
In terms of head2head and Charlton have 17-wins, compared to Southampton's 26-wins, our last victory at St. Mary's came back in 2009, a 2-3 win... We've only played them twice in this League fixture since, but that win remains our sole since the Saints moved from the Dell
Charlton Team News
There was a swap in fortunes for our Strikers on Tuesday night. We were able to welcome back Miles Leaburn into the starting eleven, after he'd missed our last two games, whilst Matty Godden was absent with a hamstring injury - The partnership of Leaburn and Dykes didn't work in quite the same fashion, compared to how successful they were at the King Power, however with the Addicks on the road this weekend, I suspect that this could be a partnership that we could see repeated once more.
Kaminski
Ramsay - Jones - Bell
Clarke - Coady - Docherty - Chambers
Carey
Leaburn - Dykes
Substitutes: Mannion - Gillesphey - Sichenje - Berry - Fevrier - Costello - Coventry - Kelman - Campbell
Comments
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Shameless Happy Birthday to my Son who turns 8 tomorrow... Not sure where the years have gone... and whilst he's not much of a Football fan, hopefully his Birthday can be a bit of a "good luck charm" for us.37
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Something is telling me this is an ideal game after the debacle of Portsmouth, and one we have a chance to put that game to bed, so am going for a draw, which would be good, but feel we could nick this one by the odd goal, they're gonna come into it full of expectancy, 'specially after that other silly home match, feel we could get this one over the line maybe 1-2...🤞5
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Happy birthday junior FA...🙌🙌ForeverAddickted said:Shameless Happy Birthday to my Son who turns 8 tomorrow... Not sure where the years have gone... and whilst he's not much of a Football fan, hopefully his Birthday can be a bit of a "good luck charm" for us.2 -
My usual optimism has taken a bit of a battering after that Portsmouth game. You'd hope to see a reaction and Jones does tend to get one, but still quite difficult to see us getting anything by way of a result here.
Feels like one to focus on performance - if we can go out and put a solid game together, keep it relatively tight at the back, show the effort, get onto second balls and so on then I can live with a narrow defeat. Something like the 1-1 draw at home to Cov would be absolutely ideal, but the main thing is to see some fight and togetherness.
Personally I would like to see a bit more of the squad with some rotation, whether changing the starting line-up or with earlier and different subs, but not sure how likely that is. Kelman and JRC in particular I think are due more game time.7 -
I like Nathan but in is pre-Southampton interview he says of Tuesday '... after 20 minutes no problem...' Really?1
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Going to this. After Tuesdays performance not looking forward to it as much as I was, although Tuesdays tactics may work better away from home. 3-0 Saints0
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Can't start the same team imo. Would bring Cov in for Doc as a start. Get Fullah on the bench as a direct replacement for Carey.
In two minds for the strike force. Kelman would give me movement but Stephens and Harwood Bellis are lumps and will contain Dykes/Leaburn if they start with Kelman.
Either way, not optimistic for a win but at least looking for a improved performance.3 -
Incredibly pessimistic about this one, cannot see a world in which we keep a clean sheet against them10
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I can safely say i have no idea what to expect from this game
unpredictable team and league!0 -
After the mauling they gave us in the home fixture and with us apparently wearing the dreaded black away kit , what could possibly go wrong????
1 - 0 Charlton
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my youngest was 9 in the week and one of his presents (requested) was an away game....hence Southampton here we come.
Looking forward to it a bit less than I was before Tuesday that's for sure. No idea which Charlton turn up, if it's the Leicester version then we might get something.
heart says 1-2, head says 3-03 -
Feel like this is the sort of game where we get a win1
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5-0 defeat.1
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my impression is that S/hampton goalie is not up to much?Just from watching highlights.... hence mixed fortunes in the first part of the season.
We didn't really get many crosses/shots in at home to really test him. If we do this time, we may do better than the horror show.0 -
We need a much improved performance after Tuesday, but they had the measure of us so comfortably at the valley. Can't see us getting anything from this.
I fear another drubbing, at least 3-0.1 -
Hoping to see a midfield three of Burke, Coady and Gillesphey, in front of a back three of Ramsay, Jones and Bell.14
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It has a similar feel to pre-Millwall - not expecting anything and hoping we don't get spanked.3
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Vast improvement needed tomorrow. Can't see a win
Would take a draw and be delighted with this but realistically I think we lose again. Just hope it's not a confidence sapping tonking. I think we need a settled team but wouldn't be surprised with some changes here. Coventry to return. Maybe TC up top with Leaburn.3 -
Another defeat 4-00
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Struggling to see beyond a 2 or 3 nil win to Southampton1
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Reluctantly attending this defeat with petrolhead
put your house on the Saints , money for old rope0 -
After watching our performance the other night anything other than a defeat will be remarkable2
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I’m going , looking at making it 7/7 away defeats on the road for me this season…. Sorry 3-02
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If Southampton play in the same style they did at the Valley, IE on the deck, quick passing through midfield and late runners into the box we will be beaten out of sight.
I fear for us in this one. Could be our biggest defeat of the season.2 -
Fear the worst, hope for the best. Yet to see us when away this season, let’s hope to-morrow breaks that duck.1
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0-3 battering. Their pace will undo us.0
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Southampton with an early red card and I fancy us to nick a draw4
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6 -0 at halftime2
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I’m with the pessimists with this one I’m afraid !! I would take a 3-0 drubbing now ! Absolutely no chance I’m afraid0
