Southampton can mark turnaround in St Mary's form against QPR

Not expectant because anything less than a win will lead to a meltdown, but rather expectant due to the evidence that has already been presented to them this season.

Manager Russell Martin’s opening three games, in which his side have won seven points, are the most successful of any new Saints boss for half a century.

However, if they are to mount a promotion charge this campaign, Martin and his staff will now need to arrest a poor spell of home form under previous management. 

Picking up just 11 points at St Mary’s last campaign (eight fewer than the next lowest scored by also relegated Leicester City) offered up next to no chance of survival.

Southampton were the only team of 20 whose earned away points exceeded (or even came close to matching) their home total in the Premier League last season.

Supporters saw a division-worst goal swing of -18 at St Mary’s, with only Everton – who still earned nearly double the home points – treating their fans to fewer goals.

Martin’s attacking-focused style of play and the inevitable drop in quality of the opposition has given supporters a new wave of enthusiasm, though.

Saints are hoping for a sell-out tomorrow, after over 28,500 home fans packed St Mary’s and increased sales on last year’s average by 50 per cent for the 4-4 draw with Norwich.

Matchday ticket sales illustrate what the number of season tickets shifted already did, topping the previous year’s totals and breaking day-sales records in the process.

The last time Saints met QPR it was a Premier League fixture – during the 2014-15 season – with the team twice beaten showing what a graveyard the Championship can become, even for ambitious clubs.

The Loftus Road outfit, managed by club legend Gareth Ainsworth, are now tipped as relegation candidates and their start has not gone as far as to dissuade that thinking.

QPR have failed to score in three of their four matches, losing all three, and only beating equally troubled Cardiff City – albeit an impressive 2-1 win on the road.

Ainsworth’s side have won three of their last four league games away from home but that might be exception rather than rule, earning more points (nine) in that run than their previous 14 such matches.

Goalkeeper Gavin Bazunu will hope his defence finally gives him the chance to nail a first clean sheet of the campaign, knowing individual errors need to be eradicated.

It will be a rare occasion where Saints supporters expect their team to win and with that comes a certain element of, as of yet, largely untested pressure.

Martin’s charges have already gone some way to earning the right to play with reduced scrutiny given the success of their campaign’s beginning.

But, with the added terror of transfer doom and gloom often looming over – the prospect of key players being sold with less than a week of the window to go – impatience can envelop us all.

While Martin may privately acknowledge the pressure to deliver in such a fixture with staff, it does not find a place in any pre-match planning.

Defender Ryan Manning, who worked under Martin for two seasons at Swansea before following him to Staplewood this summer, explained to the Daily Echo.

He said: “That’s part and parcel of what we do. I think especially in the Championship of all leagues, no one can ever expect to win three points because it is so competitive.

“We have to go out there to fight and earn the right to play football like we do every week.

"We have to make sure that we do the right things. If we do, three points is what we would hope to get. 

 “However, you can’t expect to ever win anything in this league because it is so competitive and as it goes on top can beat bottom and the bottom side can beat the leaders,” he added.

“It’s a case of having to treat every game with the same respect. We’ve got a good group here and good staff that will make sure that we don’t get complacent."

One thing that can be predicted with a relative degree of certainty is that Saints will dominate QPR in the time they spend on the ball.

QPR’s 33 per cent average possession this season is the third-lowest of any team in the division and Southampton’s 70.3 per cent is the most.

Saints, who have the league’s seventh youngest average starting XI in the first three, also lead for expected goals scored (seven) based on the quality of chances created.  

“I don’t think you can play the way we do by being average and taking liberties in terms of not running or earning the right (to play),” Manning added.

"We might have the ball a lot but the gaffer prides his team on defending and being one of the best teams in the division out of possession as well.

“There are things that we have to make sure we are doing properly and make sure that we don’t have any complacency in that department.”

If they do step up to the task of delivering in front of their own support, as they have found so difficult, it will be the best opening month to a season since 2011-12.