Saturday 26 August 2017 13:58, UK
Huddersfield will be looking to continue their perfect Premier League record when they host Southampton on Saturday.
The newly-promoted Terriers have enjoyed a dream start to their first-ever Premier League season, following up a 3-0 win at Crystal Palace with a 1-0 victory over Newcastle.
The only other newly-promoted team to win their first three games in a Premier League season were Bolton in 2001/02.
Despite taking six points from six, manager David Wagner is not getting too carried away: "We know it is a good start, but it is only a start.
"We are humble enough to know this, but we are also ambitious enough to try and make sure it is enough to get us towards where we want to be. It gives us a chance to be successful.
"I wouldn't say it means nothing, because I'd much prefer to have six points than zero points after two games, but we also realise we have not actually achieved anything yet. We remain the biggest underdogs."
Southampton have also made a positive start to their Premier League campaign, with a draw against Swansea and 3-2 victory over West Ham.
However, this is their first away trip of the season in the league and comes on the back of a 2-0 defeat to Wolves in the second round of the Carabao Cup, which manager Mauricio Pellegrino called a "step backward".
Huddersfield manager David Wagner will not consider selecting new signings Abdelhamid Sabiri and Florent Hadergjonaj.
Wagner wants midfielder Sabiri and right-back Hadergjonaj to do some work in training before coming into contention after the international break.
The Terriers have no fresh injury concerns following their midweek Carabao Cup win over Rotherham but are still without midfielder Jonathan Hogg, forward Nahki Wells (both ankle) and defenders Martin Cranie (hip) and Jon Gorenc Stankovic (knee).
Saints boss Pellegrino has a fully-fit squad to chose from and could hand a debut to Wesley Hoedt, who has joined from Lazio.
The last time that these two teams met was in December 2010 in the third tier of English football - Southampton won 4-1 that day.
Huddersfield haven't won their opening three league games of a season since the 1979-80 campaign, when they won the fourth tier; they last won their first three matches of a top-flight season in 1924-25, on their way to the second of three consecutive league titles.
The Terriers have kept a clean sheet in both of their Premier League games so far. The only previous occasion a newly-promoted side managed to do this in each of their opening three games in a Premier League season was Charlton Athletic in the 1998-99 campaign.
Southampton have failed to score in seven of their last 10 Premier League games, scoring just seven goals from 138 shots in these matches (5.1 per cent).
Saints have won more Premier League away games in 2017 (four of 10) than they have at home (three of 11).
Huddersfield's start to the season is the stuff of dreams, they are doing great. On the other hand, I'm struggling to come to terms with Saints' League Cup exit. They are not going to relegated or finish in the top four, so to go out of the cup so cheaply does my head in.
Having said that, Southampton are a wily Premier League outfit and they may have just too much for Huddersfield. If the Terriers are able to win, though, they will be virtually a quarter of their way to safety too, an incredible position just three games into the season.
PAUL PREDICTS: 1-2 (15/2 with Sky Bet)
Southampton are Sky Bet's 21/20 favourites for the victory with Huddersfield 11/4 to maintain their winning start, while the draw is priced at 23/10. The Terriers have gone from odds-on favourites to 13/8 for the drop thanks to their fine start, while the Saints are all but dismissed from the relegation betting at 40/1. Charlie Austin and Manolo Gabbiadini head the first goalscorer betting at 9/2 with Steve Mounie considered the hosts' main threat at 7/1 to net first.
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