Southampton Lead Stoke City Amid Armstrong Transfer Drama

Southampton’s trip to the bet365 Stadium on January 31, 2026, was anything but routine. With swirling transfer rumors, a reshuffled Saints lineup, and Stoke City unveiling a new striker, the EFL Championship clash brought drama before a ball was even kicked. Fans on both sides had plenty to talk about, and the match itself added yet another compelling chapter to both teams’ turbulent seasons.

Let’s start with the lineups. Saints boss Tonda Eckert made just two changes from the previous outing at Fratton Park. Ross Stewart was handed the striker’s role in place of Adam Armstrong, while Tom Fellows got the nod ahead of Kuryu Matsuki. Armstrong’s absence was especially notable, coming amid mounting speculation about his future. The 28-year-old, valued at £15 million by Southampton, has been linked with moves to Birmingham City, Middlesbrough, Wrexham, and even MLS clubs as the January transfer window’s deadline loomed. “It’s a lot of noise. I think it’s normal. I think in every single window, you just have a lot of noise,” Eckert said when pressed about Armstrong’s situation. “Armstrong is a great player. We do everything at the moment to just give him that final little bit of touch that I think every striker needs.”

On the other side, Stoke City manager Mark Robins made two changes of his own. New signing Milan Smit was thrust straight into the starting eleven, leading the line after impressing in European competitions with Go Ahead Eagles. Bosun Lawal returned from suspension, slotting into right-back. With Million Manhoef and Tatsuki Seko both absent—Manhoef as a precaution—Stoke’s lineup had a fresh look. Injuries continued to plague the Potters, with key players like Viktor Johansson, Lewis Baker, and Róbert Boženík unavailable, but Ben Wilmot and Ben Gibson made the bench after returning from injury.

The match got off to a lively start. Early on, Jack Stephens produced a crucial sliding tackle to deny Sorba Thomas as Stoke threatened inside the box. Down the other end, Southampton’s Léo Scienza twice found himself in promising positions but couldn’t convert. Then, in the 10th minute, the Saints’ patient build-up paid off. Taylor Harwood-Bellis picked out Tom Fellows with a superb low through ball behind Stoke’s left-back. Fellows whipped it across the six-yard box, and Finn Azaz was on hand to tap home from close range, giving Southampton a 1-0 lead. The Saints’ social media team wasted no time celebrating, posting: “Stoke City 0-1 Southampton. Advantage: SAINTS 👊.”

Stoke nearly found an immediate response, but a nervy moment from Saints keeper Daniel Peretz—who botched a clearance on the edge of his area—went unpunished as Peretz scrambled back to recover. The Israeli international soon redeemed himself, flying to his left to keep out a well-struck effort from Bae Jun-Ho, preserving Southampton’s slender advantage.

Controversy wasn’t far behind. Twice in the opening period, Southampton felt hard done by as penalty appeals were waved away by referee Farai Hallam. First, Jack Stephens appeared to be hauled back by Maksym Talovierov while trying to connect with a Scienza corner. Then, on the half-hour mark, Finn Azaz went down in the box under pressure from Ashley Phillips. Instead of pointing to the spot, Hallam booked Azaz for simulation, much to the Saints’ frustration. Despite these setbacks, Southampton controlled possession and dictated the tempo for much of the first half, looking every bit the superior side.

Stoke City, meanwhile, struggled to create clear chances. Their recent form has been characterized by tightly contested affairs—fewer than 3.5 goals had been scored in each of their previous 11 matches, with especially cautious first halves. That pattern held here, with Southampton’s early goal the only breakthrough before the interval. Stoke’s conservative approach was evident, as they looked to avoid conceding further and relied on the likes of Sorba Thomas and Bae Jun-Ho to spark something on the counter.

Southampton’s away campaign this season has been unpredictable, to say the least. Their last 18 matches on the road had all featured more than 1.5 goals, and both teams had scored in 15 of the previous 16. Yet, on this chilly afternoon in Stoke, the Saints’ defense—often criticized for its vulnerability—stood firm, at least in the opening 45 minutes.

Back to the transfer drama: Adam Armstrong’s absence loomed large. Birmingham City had recently shown interest in the prolific striker, who boasts 11 goals and four assists in 29 league games this season. According to the Daily Mail, Birmingham weren’t alone—Middlesbrough, Wrexham, and several MLS clubs were also monitoring the situation. Armstrong’s record speaks for itself: 91 goals and 37 assists in 277 Championship appearances, making him one of the division’s most feared marksmen. Still, after a hot start to the season, Armstrong hadn’t found the net since December 9, when he scored twice against West Brom. Eckert remained supportive, emphasizing the importance of confidence for his striker: “He needs confidence from a goal but also confidence from us, and confidence from the whole environment… Sometimes it takes a bit longer than we all wish for, but it’s positive that we managed and he himself manages to bring himself to the position to finish. I’m sure that there are many more goals to come.”

For Birmingham City, the question remains whether another attacking addition is necessary. Chris Davies’ squad already boasts a stacked frontline, with recent arrivals August Priske and Carlos Vicente joining Jay Stansfield, Demarai Gray, Patrick Roberts, Marvin Ducksch, Kyogo Furuhashi, and Ibrahim Osman. With the transfer deadline just days away, some pundits argue that defensive reinforcements should be the priority for the Blues, who have only three natural center-backs and could lose Phil Neumann.

As the second half at the bet365 Stadium approached, both teams knew what was at stake. Southampton, sitting 15th with 37 points, needed a surge to keep their playoff hopes alive, especially after a season marked by defensive inconsistency and lapses in intensity. Stoke, 10th with 42 points, found themselves in a similar position—competitive, but desperate for a spark to reignite their campaign and avoid slipping further behind in the playoff race.

With Armstrong’s future unresolved and both teams’ fates hanging in the balance, the match remained delicately poised as play resumed. Would Southampton’s early dominance translate into a vital away win, or could Stoke’s new-look attack find a way back into the contest? Fans watching on from around the world, whether via Paramount+, CBS Sports Network, or the packed stands in Stoke, were treated to a tense, high-stakes battle befitting the Championship’s reputation for unpredictability.

As the clock ticked on, the outcome was still up in the air. But one thing was certain: both clubs, and especially Adam Armstrong, would be central figures in the headlines as the transfer window slammed shut and the playoff race heated up.