Summary Southampton faces tough challenge against buoyed-up Middlesbrough in Championship clash. Key midfielder Flynn Downes at risk of losing his spot to high-performing Joe Rothwell. Rothwell's impactful performances could be key to Southampton's promotion aspirations.
Southampton will aim to make it three Championship wins on the bounce when they face off against Michael Carrick's Middlesbrough, but will be well aware that the opposition they're coming up against won't just give in for the Saints to dominate.
Carrick's Boro have also turned their fortunes around, much like Russell Martin's men, to string together a positive sequence of results which now sees the Teesside outfit dreaming of the playoff picture again by being just five points off that coveted sixth spot.
Martin might well pick the most high-octane eleven possible therefore to overwhelm the buoyed-on visitors, with Flynn Downes at risk of dropping out of his manager's XI as a result after a quiet showing in the 4-2 Sunderland win.
Flynn Downes' performance vs Sunderland in numbers
The West Ham United loanee being axed for his side's tough test on Good Friday would be a shock exclusion, considering Downes has been a key cog in the centre of midfield for the Saints this season as a calm and measured head.
Yet, with Southampton needing to blow teams away to really show to the likes of Leeds United and Ipswich Town that they're still breathing down their necks for the top two positions, he could find his fixed spot in the lineup up for grabs.
The Saints number four would win just four of the nine duels that came his way last weekend, on top of completing just one key pass despite Southampton attackers queuing up for chances at points to pile on the Sunderland misery in the emphatic 4-2 victory.
In stark contrast, his midfield sidekick, Stuart Armstrong, would muster up three key passes alongside firing in a goal of his own in the win.
Moreover, Will Smallbone would also better Downes' numbers with two key passes next to his name from just 57 minutes on the St. Mary's turf.
Yet, it was second-half substitute Joe Rothwell who ultimately stole the show from the middle of the park by scoring a decisive brace.
Consequently, this could result in the AFC Bournemouth loanee taking Downes' spot in the XI for the home game with Boro on Good Friday.
Joe Rothwell's performance vs Sunderland in numbers
Rothwell again played the role of impact sub perfectly, having netted a brace against Huddersfield Town in the middle of last month to steer the Saints to an enthralling 5-3 victory that day.
Yet again, the Cherries loanee was the spark Southampton needed by firing home two crucial goals from just 17 minutes on the pitch alongside picking up three more key passes than Downes with four.
Minutes played
17
Goals
2
Touches
16
Accurate passes
9/10 (90%)
Key passes
4
Big chances created
1
Labelled as putting in an "amazing" performance by his own manager after the game – which saw Rothwell even create a big chance of his own alongside being a goalscoring hero for his promotion-chasing side – Downes will be worried that Martin could really shake things up by dropping him for the visit of Carrick's men.
Martin will want his Southampton side to cut out their leakiness, which has seen them concede five goals in their last two matches, but maintain their ruthlessness in front of goal with Rothwell exemplifying that cutting edge by hammering home both of his shots against Mike Dodds' Black Cats.
The experienced £8k-per-week midfielder could well come up trumps once more against Southampton's Teesside opponents if selected from the start, whilst Downes could find himself simply watching on.
