SAINTS will welcome fellow promotion hopefuls Leicester City to St Mary's on Friday night, as club football returns following the first international break of the season.

It is safe to say the two clubs are very familiar with one another.

They have met on plenty of occasions over recent times, with the last five all being in the Premier League, where Southampton have achieved mixed results.

Here is a look back at the past five meetings between the sides...

Southampton 1-0 Leicester City - March 4, 2023

Goal: Carlos Alcaraz (35)

Saints moved off the bottom of the Premier League with a hard-fought victory against the Foxes.

Alcaraz, new to the club after his January arrival, latched onto a pass from Che Adams and struck the ball into the bottom corner.

James Ward-Prowse had a penalty saved by Leicester goalkeeper Danny Ward just three minutes earlier but it did not prove costly in the end.

Daily Echo:

It was Southampton's final win of the season and their relegation was confirmed two months later. 

The result also sparked a terrible run of form for Leicester, who suffered the same fate come May.

Leicester City 1-2 Southampton - August 20, 2022

Goals: James Maddison (54)

Che Adams (68 and 84)

Substitute Adams scored twice as Saints came from behind to pick up their first victory of the campaign.

An excellent free kick from Maddison put the home side into the lead but Ralph Hasenhuttl turned to Leicester-born Adams with just over 30 minutes remaining.

The Scotland international reacted quickest from a long throw into the box to bring Saints level, before his acrobatic effort earned the south coast club all three points.

Leicester City 4-1 Southampton - May 22, 2022

Goals: James Maddison (49), Jamie Vardy (74), Ayoze Perez (81 and 90)

James Ward-Prowse (pen 79)

Both teams had nothing to play for heading into the final day of the 2021-22 season.

Leicester's opening goal was controversially scored by Maddison after referee Jon Moss gave the ball back to the Foxes after a collision between Oriol Romeu and Vardy.

Daily Echo: Players appeal to referee Jon Moss (centre) after a decision during the Premier League match at The King Power Stadium, Leicester. Picture date: Sunday May 22, 2022.

That was despite Southampton having the ball before the incident.

Vardy made it 2-0 with a composed finish and while Ward-Prowse brought Saints back into the game from the penalty spot, Perez added two goals late on to seal the victory.

Southampton 2-2 Leicester City - December 1, 2021

Goals: Jan Bednarek (3), Che Adams (34)

Jonny Evans (22), James Maddison (49)

Despite an excellent first half performance, Saints were twice pegged back by Leicester in a 2-2 draw at St Mary's.

Hasenhuttl's side took the lead when Bednarek scrambled the ball over the line following a short corner.

Evans hit back for the Foxes when he reacted quickest to fire the ball into an empty net after Wilfred Ndidi's shot was saved by Alex McCarthy.

Adams headed Southampton back in front, before Maddison produced a neat finish at the near post to earn Leicester a point.

Daily Echo: Saints v Leicester (Pic: Stuart Martin)

Southampton 1-1 Leicester City - April 30, 2021

Goals: James Ward-Prowse (pen 61)

Jonny Evans (68)

Leicester suffered a blow to their top-four hopes when they were held by 10-man Southampton towards the end of the 2020-21 season.

Jannik Vestergaard, who moved to the East Midlands side over three months later, was sent off in the 10th minute when he was adjudged to have denied Vardy a goalscoring opportunity.

Ward-Prowse gave Saints the lead from the penalty spot after a Kelechi Iheanacho handball, but Evans' header made it 1-1 seven minutes later.

The St Mary's side defended resolutely for the remaining 20 minutes to dent Leicester's Champions League hopes, which ultimately ended in disappointment.