Southampton sign former Swansea full-back Ryan Manning on free transfer

By Sports Desk July 11, 2023

Southampton have signed Ryan Manning on a free transfer as the full-back follows his former Swansea manager Russell Martin to St Mary’s.

The highly-rated Republic of Ireland international, 27, has signed a four-year deal to become Martin’s first signing for Saints.

He said: “I’m absolutely delighted to be here. It’s a massive club, been in the Premier League for so many years, and I’m just excited about the challenge of getting it back there.

“You’re coming to a Premier League football club that’s in the Championship, so the ambition is promotion and nothing else.

“With the gaffer coming here, knowing his style of football and how he wants his team to play, it felt like a perfect fit for me where the club and the manager lined up.”

Martin added: “Firstly, he’s a brilliant character. He’s got a real edge to him, a lot of energy and was a really important member of our group at Swansea.

“On the pitch, he’s an outstanding footballer who has a brilliant understanding of what we want. We’ve beaten competition from two clubs in the Premier League for him, which I’m really pleased about, because I thought the lure of that would make it difficult for us.”

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    Southampton, meanwhile, welcome the Reds to St. Mary’s on the back of a 2-0 defeat to Wolves ahead of the international break, leaving them bottom of the table after 11 games of the season.

    The Saints are the lowest scorers in the Premier League this season (seven), while only Crystal Palace (5.1%) have a lower shot conversion rate than Russell Martin’s side (6.2%). Just 30.1% of Southampton’s shots have been on target this term (34/113), a league-low ratio.

    However, the Southampton head coach is relishing the opportunity of facing Liverpool, with his players performing well against the likes of Arsenal and Manchester City already this term.

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    "I think we showed the guys the Premier League table last season and how much it changed by the end and by the end of December. But it's honestly such an exciting month.

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    Liverpool – Mohamed Salah

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    He has also been directly involved in 67% of Liverpool’s Premier League goals this season (14/21 – eight goals, six assists), the highest ratio by a player for any side in the division in 2024-25. Indeed, only Matt Le Tissier for Southampton in 1993-94 (69% - 34/49) has scored or assisted a higher proportion of a side’s goals in a single season in the competition.

    MATCH PREDICTION: LIVERPOOL WIN

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    The Reds’ last Premier League game against the Saints was a 4-4 away draw in May 2023 – they conceded as many goals in that game as they had in their previous six visits to St Mary’s combined.

    Southampton have won just one of their last 14 Premier League games against Liverpool (D3 L10), a 1-0 home victory in January 2021.

    This will also be the first Premier League match between the side starting the day bottom of the table and the side starting the day top since April 2023, and Southampton’s 3-3 draw away to Arsenal. The league leaders are unbeaten in 14 such matches (W12 D2) since Wolves won 2-1 against Manchester United in February 2011.

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    OPTA WIN PROBABILITY

    Southampton – 9.7%

    Draw – 12.6%

    Liverpool – 77.7%

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