Hello, and welcome to Sports Mole's live coverage of the match in the Premier League between Southampton and Leicester City.

Ahead of the new season, Leicester City would have been confident of at least finishing in the top 10 of the Premier League table but wary that they may struggle to remain at the highest level after winning the league in May. However, things really haven't gone to plan for Claudio Ranieri's side and they travel to St Mary's knowing that they have to get points on the board if they are going to avoid a relegation fight. Just five points keep the Foxes above the drop zone and it's games like this one where they need to record a positive result.

As for Southampton, a solid start to the reign of Claude Puel has progressed into one big struggle at both ends of the pitch. While their success during the first half to the campaign was based on a strong defence, they have now lost four Premier League games in a row and if that continues, they are going to have to rediscover their goalscoring touch because it's barely been there since the injury to Charlie Austin. Puel won't be fearing for his job just yet, but a fifth successive defeat may lead to the Saints hierarchy starting to contemplate a change in the future.

Anyway, without further ado, let's take a look at the teams selected by both Puel and Ranieri.

SOUTHAMPTON XI: Forster, Cedric, Van Dijk, Yoshida, Bertrand, Romeu, Hojbjerg, Ward-Prowse, Tadic, Redmond, Rodriguez

SOUTHAMPTON SUBSTITUTES: Taylor, Clasie, Long, Martina, Stephens, McQueen, Sims

LEICESTER CITY XI: Schmeichel, Simpson, Morgan, Huth, Fuchs, Ndidi, Mendy, Drinkwater, Gray, Okazaki, Vardy

LEICESTER CITY SUBSTITUTES: Zieler, Chilwell, Musa, King, Albrighton, Kapustka, Benalouane

Claude Puel has opted to make just the one change to his starting lineup with Jay Rodriguez replacing Shane Long. That's a slight surprise given Long scored a rare goal in the FA Cup in midweek. There's a youthful look to the rest of the Saints bench with several academy graduates among the seven replacements.

As for Leicester, Ranieri has decided to make three alterations to the team which were comfortably beaten by Chelsea last weekend. Danny Simpson, Demarai Gray and Shinji Okazaki have all been recalled to the starting lineup, with Ben Chilwell, Marc Albrighton and Ahmed Musa having to make do with a place on the bench.

If you take a look at our Stat Centre, you can see that it makes for pretty grim reading for Southampton and Leicester fans. The Foxes have claimed just five points from their last six outings, with Southampton recording just four - all of which came in 2016. We can't really say that either side are completely out of form because they have had success in the cup competitions against Premier League opposition but there is no doubting that they must apply that form to the league.

HEAD TO HEAD! Today's match represents the 84th time in which these two teams have met in a competitive fixture, with Southampton recording 31 victories compared to 25 triumphs for Leicester. However, it's Leicester who can boast the better record over the last seven showdowns, winning four compared to Southampton's one success.

Before we continue, I will take the opportunity to say that this is just the first of three Premier League fixtures we are covering throughout the day. The match between Arsenal and Burnley will commence at 2.15pm, BST, before Chelsea host Hull City in the 4.30pm kickoff at Stamford Bridge. Teams in all areas of the standings are in action so it should make for an interesting few hours.

I'd say that this is a fair reflection of how the game at the King Power Stadium turned out. Southampton had the better of the play on that day but they ended up being held to a goalless draw. Click here to have a read of our on-the-whistle report.

We've touched upon Southampton's lack of goals, but the same can be said of Leicester. There was a suggestion that Jamie Vardy was getting back to the form of last year when he netted a hat-trick against Manchester City in December but that remains the only Leicester game he has scored in since September 10, which is simply astonishing. He will always carry a threat every time he takes to the pitch but he is desperately in need of another goal.

Jay Rodriguez is in a similar predicament for Southampton. A week after Vardy's treble, Rodriguez netted twice in the south coast derby with Bournemouth but that remains the only game he has scored in since the middle of September. He doesn't necessarily deserve to be singled out for his lack of goals because each of Southampton's attackers are the same right now but Vardy and Rodriguez are the two men at the head of the teams today and they are rarely getting on the scoresheet. I'm going to be bold and predict that streak will end today...

PREDICTION! I think either Rodriguez or Vardy will score at St Mary's but you can't back many goals in today's game. Hopefully I am proven wrong, but I am not expecting the most entertaining of tussles. Both teams need a win but I think that they will play out a 1-1 draw.

Before we get started, here's a quick read for you. There aren't too many Japanese players competing in the Premier League but today, Shinji Okazaki and Maya Yoshida go up against each other, and the Foxes playmaker has revealed that the pair are really close friends. Click here to have a read of what he has to say.

The two teams - led by Van Dijk and Morgan - have made their way out onto the pitch at St Mary's. Kickoff is coming right up.

Southampton get us underway.

It's panic stations in the Leicester defence as Schmeichel fails to deal with a ball into the penalty area but at third or fourth opportunity, he manages to get hold of the ball. He got a bit fortunate there.

I expected both teams to start patiently but they are already showing plenty of intent to get forward. We still await the first chance of the game but this has been a promising start.

CHANCE! What a chance for Redmond! This really should be a goal. Tadic provides the midfielder with the perfect cross from the left but he directs his free header just over the bar from around eight yards out.

CHANCE! Another good opportunity for Southampton and again it comes from the left. Bertrand finds Soares with a pass inside the penalty area but his first-time effort goes well over the crossbar.

Leicester have started to settle to a certain extent but Southampton look to possess a lot more pace than their opponents. Leicester are really struggling to deal with the likes of Bertrand and Soares in wide areas. Soares just crossed for Rodriguez but he couldn't make a proper connection with his header.

SHOT! Worth a go but this is very ambitious from Ndidi. The ball fell invitingly for him around 25 yards out but his volley was tame and straight at Forster.

CHANCE! When Southampton look this going forward, it makes you wonder how they haven't scored more goals. Tadic slides the ball towards Redmond into the penalty area and Schmeichel is forced to make a smart save down to his left.

SHOT! Moments later, Leicester broke down the other end of the pitch through Gray but after deciding to ignore his teammates, he curled a shot straight at Forster.

The action has calmed down a little over the past five minutes. Aside from Okazaki almost playing in Gray, there hasnn't been a sniff of a chance at either end. Southampton still look the better side, however.

Southampton take a deserved lead through Ward-Prowse, and it's some finish too. Soares does terrifically down the right before playing the ball back to the midfielder, who whips his foot around the ball and finds the bottom corner fron 16 yards. Schmeichel got a touch but he only helped divert the ball into the net.

Big chance for Leicester to get back into this match. Okazaki is taken out on the edge of the area by Soares and the full-back is lucky to avoid a yellow card. Gray or Fuchs will take this.

It's such a poor effort from Gray. His free kick is sent into the wall and it's deflected wide of the target for a corner. The resulting set piece comes to nothing either. Leicester really have to make more of these situations.

I touched upon this earlier but Southampton are making full use of their full-backs on the overlap. Leicester can't handle it at times and you can only see more chances coming from that approach. The Foxes are having to work hard to remain just the one goal behind.

I must admit, I didn't have total confidence in my prediction of Rodriguez or Vardy breaking their scoring drought, but the Saints attacker has obliged and made me look like Nostradamus. A free kick from Ward-Prowse was headed into the path of Rodriguez who finished smartly at the back post. Long way back for Leicester from here.

Soon after the goal, Gray fired a shot over the crossbar from just outside of the area but like earlier in the half, he should be doing better from those kind of positions. He's been very hit and miss so far.

There will be two minutes of added-on time.

The half-time whistle goes at St Mary's and Southampton deservedly lead thanks to goals from Ward-Prowse and Rodriguez. They may have lost four Premier League games in a row but they have looked superb against a Leicester side who look short of confidence. Ranieri needs to do some tinkering at the break.

Leicester get us back underway. Unsurprisingly, Ranieri has decided to make a change with Albrighton coming on to replace Mendy.

CHANCE! Southampton have wasted no time in trying to net a third. Good work from Tadic on the left ends with the playmaker finding Hojbjerg on the edge of the area. He has the chance to set himself but his half-volley goes a couple of yards wide of the post.

Van Dijk is down receiving treatment on his ankle after being caught by Vardy when the striker was attempting to get on the end of a cross. It looks a nasty one. The Dutchman is up but he is limping off the pitch.

Van Dijk is trying to soldier on but he is going to have to be replaced. This is a big blow for Southampton. There's potentially ligament damage to his ankle.

SUBSTITUTION! Jack Stephens is the man who is coming on to replace Van Dijk. This will be just his second Premier League appearance of the season.

SHOT! It's better from Leicester but this is very much a shot in anger from Albrighton, who sees his volley easily saved by Forster. They are still not carrying a huge threat in the final third.

CHANCE! Southampton really should have this match wrapped up by now. Fuchs passes the ball straight to Hojbjerg and the midfielder has a free run on goal. However, he drags his shot well wide of the far post. It's a bad miss.

SUBSTITUTION! That's the end of the game for Okazaki, who is replaced by Musa. Big things were expected from the Nigerian but as of yet, he hasn't really delivered.

There's still not a whole lot coming from Leicester and Southampton will probably win this match without adding a third. That said, they are still trying and Soares sees a goalbound effort blocked by Huth before Rodriguez has a header easily saved by Schmeichel.

SHOT! Leicester have been limited to efforts from long distance but this is probably the best of the lot. The ball came out to Drinkwater on the edge of the penalty area but his volley - albeit well-struck - missed the target.

SHOT! Romeu isn't known for his goals but he almost adds a third for Southampton when his deflected shot nearly deceives Schmeichel before the goalkeeper recovered in time to make the save.

CHANCE! Leicester should be back in this game. A cross into the box is headed by Huth into the path of Morgan, but the skipper's half-volley from close range goes over the bar. He knows that he should be finding the back of the net from there.

Southampton think they have netted a third when Morgan diverts the ball into his own net but Yoshida is adjudged to have been offside. It's extremely tight but the decision should have probably favoured the Southampton player rather than Morgan.

SUBSTITUTION! Puel makes his final change of the match, introducing Shane Long for Rodriguez.

SHOT! Fuchs is much better on his left foot but he almost nets a long-range strike with his weaker right. His shot went a yard or two wide but it had Forster worried for a moment.

Long's pace means that he gets the better of Morgan, who shoves him to the ground as he moved closer to goal. Morgan can have no complaints. From the resulting spot kick, Tadic fired into the top corner, leaving Schmeichel with no chance. Game over.

There will be four minutes of added-on time.

The full-time whistle goes at St Mary's and Southampton have completed an easy afternoon's work. The Saints dominated from start to finish and they did not look like a side who had lost four games on the trot. As for Leicester, they are very much in a relegation battle and this performance will leave Ranieri with plenty of doubts over his squad.

That will be all from Sports Mole for this match, but we hope that you can stick around for the game involving Arsenal and Burnley, which gets underway in 20 minutes time. Goodbye for now.