Steve Cooper has kept the best traits from Enzo Maresca’s Championship-winning Leicester City and added his own hallmarks to create a well-rounded team, Southampton boss Russell Martin has said.
Cooper and Martin do battle this Saturday (3pm kick-off) in what looks like a pivotal clash at the bottom. For City, it’s a chance to get one over a relegation rival and potentially go six points clear of the drop zone. For the winless Saints, the game will feel like a huge opportunity for three points.
Having faced City twice last season in the Championship, losing by an aggregate of 9-1, Martin is in a good position to note the differences between Maresca and Cooper’s teams. The Southampton boss does not feel Cooper has deserted the qualities of last term.