Follow live coverage as Southampton face Brentford today in the Premier League. Another top-flight season will be covered in full right here with The Independent, as reigning champions Manchester City look to make it an unprecedented five titles in a row come the end of 2024/25.
The likes of Arsenal and Liverpool will be chasing Pep Guardiola's side, but just as fascinating will be the race for Champions League places, with more teams than ever before having designs on top-four finishes. Chelsea remain big-spending, Manchester United's latest rebuild continues and both Tottenham and Newcastle will expect improvements this year - yet it was Aston Villa who snared fourth last term.
Meanwhile, it's Southampton, Leicester City and Ipswich Town who made it back to the elite after promotion last year and each will have hope they can make it more than a one-year stay. Follow the latest live action from the Premier League below:
Southampton FC 0 - 5 Brentford FC
Southampton vs Brentford
17:06Brentford end their run of nine Premier League away games without a win in emphatic fashion with a 5-0 victory against bottom club Southampton. Schade netted the opener on six minutes with a low finish past Ramsdale. The Bees could have had more goals in that first half if it wasn't for the goalkeeper and the crossbar to deny Wissa and Norgaard. Van den Berg had a goal disallowed at the start of the second half for a foul in the penalty area but Brentford soon found the net again courtesy of a brace from Mbeumo, including one from the penalty spot. A late burst of goals in added time put further gloss on the scoreline. Lewis-Potter drilling low into the net before Wissa pounced on a mistake from Harwood-Bellis. Southampton fall to their 16th defeat of the season and have now failed to score in 10 of their 20 league matches. The Saints created an xG of just 0.29. They remain rooted to the bottom of the table as new manager Ivan Juric still seeks his first points in charge of the club. Brentford move into 10th in the Premier League table. The Bees created an xG of 4.23. Both sides turn their attention to the FA Cup next. Southampton host Swansea whilst Brentford entertain Plymouth. That is all from me. Thank you for joining me and goodbye.
Southampton vs Brentford
16:59FULL-TIME: SOUTHAMPTON 0-5 BRENTFORD.
Southampton vs Brentford
16:56Goal Yoane Wissa Bileko
Southampton vs Brentford
16:54Assist Bryan Tetsadong Marceau Mbeumo
Southampton vs Brentford
16:54Nice feet by Yamoliuk to beat a Southampton player and get a shot away inside the penalty area but the effort hits the side netting.
Southampton vs Brentford
16:54Five minutes to be added on at the end of the second half.
Southampton vs Brentford
16:50That was a neat flick by Mbeumo at the front post but he can't direct the effort towards goal. Another let off for Saints who just want the final whistle to come.
Southampton vs Brentford
16:48Substitution Joseph Oluwaseyi Temitope Ayodele-Aribo Adam David Lallana
Southampton vs Brentford
16:47Aribo went down following a challenge with Janelt and requires treatment so there is a stoppage in play.
Southampton vs Brentford
16:46Southampton win a corner but Mbeumo can head it away under no pressure at the front post.
Southampton vs Brentford
16:42Walker-Peters tries his luck from 25 yards out but his effort goes well over the crossbar and doesn't trouble Flekken.
Southampton vs Brentford
16:42Substitution Christian Thers Nørgaard Yehor Yarmoliuk
Southampton vs Brentford
16:42Substitution Kevin Schade Edmond-Paris Maghoma
Southampton vs Brentford
16:42Mbeumo now has 12 goals this campaign, the same amount as Southampton have managed all season. It looks set to be a third straight defeat for new manager Ivan Juric.
Southampton vs Brentford
16:40Brentford have won their last three matches in a row against sides in the relegation zone, scoring five goals in each of their last two wins. They still have time to score two more goals here.
Southampton vs Brentford
16:38That should have been four for Brentford. Lewis-Potter just can't guide his shot past Ramsdale after a good run forward and a fine pass from Wissa to find the defender insdie the penalty area.
Southampton vs Brentford
16:35Another good chance for the visitors but Ramsdale does well to repel a Wissa effort. There could be more goals in this match for the Bees.
Southampton vs Brentford
16:32Substitution Mathias Jensen Vitaly Janelt
Southampton vs Brentford
16:30Penalty awarded to Brentford. Van den Berg is brought down at the back post by a Saints player as he looked to get on the end of a Mbeumo cross. VAR checks and agrees with the decision that the visitors should be awarded a spot kick.
Southampton vs Brentford
16:30Penalty Goal Bryan Tetsadong Marceau Mbeumo
Southampton vs Brentford
16:29Mbeumo has his sights set on another goal and he forces Ramsdale to push clear his powerful close-range effort.
Southampton vs Brentford
16:25Yellow Card Taylor Jay Harwood-Bellis
Southampton vs Brentford
16:24Assist Yoane Wissa Bileko
Southampton vs Brentford
16:24Southampton pressing for an equaliser but the final ball continues to let them down and Brentford are defending well.
Southampton vs Brentford
16:23Goal Bryan Tetsadong Marceau Mbeumo
Southampton vs Brentford
16:22What a chance for Wissa! The forward is through on goal and only has Ramsdale to beat but he fires his shot over the crossbar. Brentford could have this game wrapped up by now.
Southampton vs Brentford
16:21That disallowed goal was a let off for Saints and manager Ivan Juric has immediately made two attacking changes.
Southampton vs Brentford
16:18No goal for Brentford. Wissa is deemed to have fouled a Southampton player in the penalty area and van den Berg's header will not stand. It remains 1-0 to Brentford at St Mary's.
Southampton vs Brentford
16:17Brentford look to have doubled their lead but there is a VAR check going on for a foul in the penalty area. It is poor defending from Southampton as they leave van den Berg completely free in the penalty area from an Mbeumo corner and he heads home past the goalkeeper. However, this goal may not stand.
Southampton vs Brentford
16:16Substitution Kamaldeen Sulemana Cameron Desmond Archer
Southampton vs Brentford
16:16Substitution Ebere Paul Onuachu Adam James Armstrong
Southampton vs Brentford
16:15That is a brilliant piece of defending from Harwood-Bellis. It looks like Wissa has to score but the defender gets back on the goal-line to deny the forward. A big chance though spurned for the visitors.
Southampton vs Brentford
16:14Assist Bryan Tetsadong Marceau Mbeumo
Southampton vs Brentford
16:14First chance of the second half goes to Brentford as Roerslev forces Ramsdale into a save at his near post.
Southampton vs Brentford
16:13Ivan Juric making a double change at the break hoping Southampton can get back into this match in the second half. Saints have won just one game all season and are in desperate need of a result here.
Southampton vs Brentford
16:06Brentford get the second half started.
Southampton vs Brentford
16:06Substitution James Patrick Bree Yukinari Sugawara
Southampton vs Brentford
16:06Substitution Nathan Dean Joshua Wood-Gordon Charles James Taylor
Southampton vs Brentford
15:58The Opta Supercomputer gives Southampton just a 9.2% chance of coming from behind to win this match. Brentford are favourites with a 70.6% chance of claiming their first away win of the season. A draw is 20.2% likely to be the final outcome.
Southampton vs Brentford
15:56Brentford are 1-0 up at half-time against Southampton thanks to a first half goal from Schade. It came after just six minutes when the German winger got on the end of a through ball from Damsgaard and slotted past Ramsdale. The Bees have had their chances to double their lead but Ramsdale kept out Wissa before the crossbar denied Norgaard. Damsgaard's low effort also came close for the visitors. The hosts though ended the first half the stronger of the two sides with Dibling going closest when he hit the side netting. Saints have only created an xG of 0.17 compared to an xG of 1.15 for Brentford.
Southampton vs Brentford
15:51HALF-TIME: SOUTHAMPTON 0-1 BRENTFORD
Southampton vs Brentford
15:50A speculative effort from Harwood-Bellis fails to trouble Flekken and the goalkeeper can run down the clock with this goal-kick.
Southampton vs Brentford
15:47Three minutes to be added on at the end of this first half.
Southampton vs Brentford
15:47Good defending from Lewis-Potter to ensure Bree can't get past him in the penalty area and get a shot away on goal. The hosts are growing into this contest now but half-time is approaching.
Southampton vs Brentford
15:45That was a chance for Saints. Aribo does well to get past Damsgaard and into the penalty area. He picks out Dibling who lets the ball roll onto his left foot before striking an effort into the side netting.
Southampton vs Brentford
15:44Walker-Peters is good to continue and Southampton are back on the front foot looking for an equaliser before half-time.
Southampton vs Brentford
15:42A stoppage in play as Walker-Peters goes down inside the Brentford penalty area and requires treatment.
Southampton vs Brentford
15:41Better play from the hosts going forward but the final header from Onuachu is a tame one and comfortably claimed by Flekken.
Southampton vs Brentford
15:38Mbeumo may have been lucky there to escape a yellow card for a late challenge on Dibling from behind. Southampton certainly think that should have been a booking.
Southampton vs Brentford
15:36Dibling tries to take on one too many Brentford bodies as he dribbled towards goal but this is the home sides best spell of the match.
Southampton vs Brentford
15:34Dibling does well to hold off Jensen and it looks like he has found Onuachu running through on goal but the striker is easily dispossessed by Collins and the attack breaks down for Saints.
Southampton vs Brentford
15:31Southampton penetrate the edge of the Brentford penalty area but the final ball into the box by Harwood-Bellis is easily gathered by Flekken.
Southampton vs Brentford
15:29Brentford are getting closer to a second goal. This time Damsgaard cuts inside onto his left foot and hits a low strike narrowly wide of the post.
Southampton vs Brentford
15:28Damsgaard wins possession back on the half-way line and he finds Wissa whose curling effort is held well by Ramsdale. That was another good opportunity for the visitors.
Southampton vs Brentford
15:26Brentford hit the crossbar! Norgaard flicks a free-kick on at the near post and it rattles the top of the crossbar. So close to a second for the Bees.
Southampton vs Brentford
15:25That is excellent play from Mbeumo to burst forward and pick out Wissa inside the penalty area who forces Ramsdale into a low save. That was a big chance for the visitors to double their lead.
Southampton vs Brentford
15:24Yellow Card Kyle Leonardus Walker-Peters
Southampton vs Brentford
15:22Aribo looks good to continue and the game gets re-started with Brentford possession inside the Southampton half.
Southampton vs Brentford
15:22Aribo made a challenge on Damsgaard in the middle of the park but he was caught by the elbow of the midfielder in doing so. A stoppage in play whilst Aribo gets some treatment.
Southampton vs Brentford
15:20Southampton's problems have been scoring goals this season, just 12 in 19 games and it is comfortable work for the Brentford defence so far.
Southampton vs Brentford
15:18That Schade goal has been the only effort on goal from either side so far. Brentford have enjoyed more of the possession but are struggling to create opportunities against this Southampton defence.
Southampton vs Brentford
15:16Brentford don’t travel well in the Premier League. They have lost 17 of their last 23 away league matches but that Schade goal has given them the perfect start here.
Southampton vs Brentford
15:15Brentford continuing to come forward in numbers but the final pass is just missing from the visitors at the minute as they look for a second goal.
Southampton vs Brentford
15:13That was the worst possible start for Southampton and they have failed to win any of their last 26 matches when conceding first in the Premier League.
Southampton vs Brentford
15:12Assist Mikkel Krogh Damsgaard
Southampton vs Brentford
15:07Goal Kevin Schade
Southampton vs Brentford
15:07Brentford have started the brighter of the two sides here, but Ramsdale is yet to be called into action. The Bees can do the double over Southampton after winning 3-1 in the reverse fixture on matchday three. Mbeumo and Wissa were on the scoresheet for the Bees that day with Sugawara netting a late consolation for Saints.
Southampton vs Brentford
15:06Southampton are looking to stop a four-match winless streak at St Mary’s. Only twice have the Saints lost five in a row on home soil in the Premier League, doing so in 1998 and 2023. New manager Ivan Juric is also searching for his first win in charge of the club.
Southampton vs Brentford
15:03Southampton get the game started at St Mary’s.
Southampton vs Brentford
15:01The teams are out on the pitch and kick-off is just moments away.
Southampton vs Brentford
14:58Brentford make two changes from the side beaten by Arsenal last time out. Vitaly Janelt and Yehor Yarmoliuk both drop to the bench as Kevin Schade and Mathias Jensen come into the starting line-up. Thomas Frank is still missing a host of first team players including Fabio Carvalho, Kristoffer Ajer, Josh Dasilva, Rico Henry, Aaron Hickey, Ben Mee, Gustavo Nunes, Ethan Pinnock, and Igor Thiago.
Southampton vs Brentford
14:53BRENTFORD SUBS: Hakon Valdimarsson, Yehor Yarmoliuk, Jayden Meghoma, Yunus Konak, Vitaly Janelt, Paris Maghoma, Kim Ji-Soo, Tony Yogane, Benjamin Arthur.
Southampton vs Brentford
14:53BRENTFORD LINE-UP (4-3-3): Mark Flekken; Keane Lewis-Potter, Sepp van den Berg, Nathan Collins, Mads Roerslev; Mikkel Damsgaard, Christian Norgaard, Mathias Jensen; Kevin Schade, Yoane Wissa, Bryan Mbeumo.
Southampton vs Brentford
14:47Southampton make two changes from the side beaten at Crystal Palace last time out. Kamaldeen Sulemana and Chelsea loanee Lesley Ugochukwu come into the starting line-up replacing Adam Armstrong and Mateus Fernandes. Midfielder Flynn Downes is still out alongside defender Jack Stephens.
Southampton vs Brentford
14:47SOUTHAMPTON SUBS: Alex McCarthy, Ryan Manning, Adam Armstrong, Adam Lallana, Yukinari Sugawara, Ben Brereton, Cameron Archer, Charlie Taylor, Armel Bella-Kotchap.
Southampton vs Brentford
14:43SOUTHAMPTON LINE-UP (3-4-2-1): Aaron Ramsdale; Nathan Wood, Jan Bednarek, Taylor Harwood-Bellis; Kyle Walker-Peters, Joe Aribo, Lesley Ugochukwu, James Bree; Kamaldeen Sulemana, Paul Onuachu; Tyler Dibling.
Southampton vs Brentford
14:43Nine points above the bottom three and seven points off the top six and European football, Brentford are currently looking at a season of mid-table obscurity. Starting the new year with defeat against Arsenal, Thomas Frank’s side are now winless in four league matches and in need of a first away win of the season. Their tally of two points away from home is the lowest in the division and Frank still hasn’t worked out how to replicate their strong home record on the road. The Bees though do like playing against Southampton having won the last four Premier League encounters between the sides.
Southampton vs Brentford
14:37Southampton’s winless streak extended to nine Premier League games when they lost narrowly at Crystal Palace last time out. There has yet to be a new manager bounce for the Saints with Ivan Juric losing both of his two games in charge of the club so far. At the halfway stage of the season, Southampton are 10 points adrift at the bottom of the table with just 12 goals scored in 19 matches. Brentford are perhaps the perfect opposition for Saints if they are to start the new year with a win. The Bees are the only side in the Premier League this season yet to win on their travels.
Southampton vs Brentford
14:32Hello and welcome to this live text commentary of Southampton against Brentford in the Premier League.
Southampton vs Brentford
14:30Lineups are announced and players are warming up.
Southampton vs Brentford
13:00Follow all the goals and latest action from the Premier League here with The Independent. Team news and line-ups coming up shortly…
