Pundit insists Southampton haven't learned much from Bournemouth defeat | OneFootball

Paul Merson is unfazed by Southampton's few improved glimpses against Bournemouth. As a result, Pundit Merson firmly believes that the Saints will be outclassed again at home.

It's wise to admit that the recent few days have been a breath of fresh air for Southampton fans. The current roster seems more united than ever due to Flynn Downes' recalling with the Saints sure to have a rejuvenated midfield this time.

On top of that, Yukinari Sugawara is determined to hit the ground running again as he did in the initial stretch of the season. Honestly, all these developments convey that Southampton is preparing to give a better performance for the St. Mary's faithful on Saturday.

Yet, there's a respected pundit who isn't swayed away by this recent momentum. Yes, again it's Paul Merson who hasn't altered his Premier League stance regarding the Saints.

Mirroring his Derby predictions, the Arsenal hero is inclined towards a similar disappointing evening for Southampton. In fact, the only change he suggested was a 3-1 result instead of a 4-1 loss.

Pundit insists Southampton haven't learned much from Bournemouth defeat

In his own words, Merson wrote in his Sportskeeda column: "They briefly looked okay for about 10 minutes against Bournemouth before being eventually blown away. I don't expect that outcome to be any different this weekend."

Analysing Merson's comments, Southampton needs to ensure much reliability during the beginning of the match. That's because, in certain aspects like high-pressing and agility, Brighton isn't quite far off from the Cherries.

Thus, Juric must take additional corrective measures to implement a decent defence. Otherwise, another morale crushing defeat isn't ruled out, and underestimating Merson's opinion may come to haunt the Saints.

Apart from that, initial goals will be a crucial factor here. Who knows, a win could be secured early if Southampton enjoys a good outing in front of goal.

Now, we must wait to find out whether they will find a flawless balance between attack and defence.