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Highlights
ST MARY'S STALEMATE

Southampton 0 Swansea 0 – MATCH HIGHLIGHTS: Frustration at St Mary’s after countless efforts from both sides turn into a goalless draw

Mauricio Pellegrino's side failed to find the net but Swansea will be happy with a point away from home

MAURICIO PELLEGRINO might be struggling to keep hold of star defender Virgil Van Dijk but his biggest problems are at the other end of the pitch.

Claude Puel was given the push after a dismal end to last season, when his team managed just one win and four goals from their last eight games.

Yoshida shoots at goal as Abraham and Fabianski look on
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Yoshida shoots at goal as Abraham and Fabianski look onCredit: Reuters
Tammy Abraham makes his Premier League debut for Swansea City
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Tammy Abraham makes his Premier League debut for Swansea CityCredit: Reuters
Manolo Gabbiadini hits the crossbar with a header
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Manolo Gabbiadini hits the crossbar with a headerCredit: PA:Press Association
Paul Clement and Mauricio Pellegrino on the touchline
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Paul Clement and Mauricio Pellegrino on the touchlineCredit: Reuters

It meant new boss Pellegrino launched his Southampton career looking to avoid an unwanted club record of six successive home games without scoring.

It was a drought which could have been ended in the first minute when Manolo Gabbiadini clipped the bar with a near post header from Ryan Bertrand’s corner.

They carved out an even clearer opportunity three minutes later when Bertrand got round the back to tee up Dusan Tadic, who inexplicably sidefooted wide from two yards out.

Swansea looked like an accident waiting to happen every time the ball went into their half but could have snatched the lead with their first attack.

Jordan Ayew’s hanging cross from the right allowed Tammy Abraham to get ahead of centre-half Jack Stephens but the teenaged striker on loan from Chelsea headed wide.

Pellegrini resisted the temptation to start with Mario Lemina, the striker signed from Juventus in a club record £18.1million deal earlier in the week.

Oriol Romeu and Leroy Fer battle for the ball
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Oriol Romeu and Leroy Fer battle for the ballCredit: PA:Press Association
Charlie Austin looks dejected after missing a chance to score for the Saints
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Charlie Austin looks dejected after missing a chance to score for the SaintsCredit: Reuters
Wayne Routledge in action with Ryan Bertrand
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Wayne Routledge in action with Ryan BertrandCredit: Reuters

But it’s a fair bet that the Gabon international will soon be a permanent fixture in the Saints team if this is the best that his new team-mates can do.

Swansea, without the injured Fernando LLorente and the unsettled Gylfi Sigurdsson looked even more toothless.

That absent due were responsible for more half of all their team’s goals last season and if Sigurdsson finally gets his dream move to Everton, Paul Clement’s first priority will be sign a new playmaker before the transfer window closes.

At least Clement could take heart from Abraham’s first Premier League start, with the 19-year-old leading the line willingly despite the lack of support he needed to seriously trouble Southampton.

Tammy Abraham is substituted for Kyle Bartley
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Tammy Abraham is substituted for Kyle BartleyCredit: Rex Features
Charlie Austin after missing a chance to score towards the end of the game
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Charlie Austin after missing a chance to score towards the end of the gameCredit: Reuters
Lukasz Fabianski and Martin Olsson applaud fans after the match
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Lukasz Fabianski and Martin Olsson applaud fans after the matchCredit: Reuters


Match Stats

MatchDay Live

FACTS, STATS, GOALS & LOLS

  • Today's opening game was Mauricio Pellegrino's first competitive game in charge of Southampton.
  • Swansea loan signing Tammy Abraham – who has only two previous Premier League games to his
    name, both as a substitute for Chelsea – was the top scoring teenager in the Football League last
    season, netting 23 goals for Bristol City in the Championship.
    Mauricio Pellegrino's first game in charge at St Mary's today
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    Mauricio Pellegrino's first game in charge at St Mary's todayCredit: Reuters
  • Southampton have won six of their last eight meetings with Swansea in the Premier League.
  • Swansea's only win at St Mary's in the Premier League came in February 2015, with Jonjo Shelvey
    scoring the winner that day.
  • The Swans have failed to score in six of their 10 Premier League contests against Southampton.
    Tammy made an impressive start for the Swans today despite failing to get on the score sheet
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    Tammy made an impressive start for the Swans today despite failing to get on the score sheetCredit: Reuters
  • Southampton have never won an opening day home fixture in the Premier League.
  • Swansea are unbeaten in their last three Premier League games to start the season.

WHAT THEY SAID

Southampton boss Mauricio Pellegrino said: "We did everything to win the game but we couldn't. We controlled the ball, created chances but this is football - you have to get goals and we couldn't do so.

"As a manager, we can work on how to create chances but sometimes it is really difficult to score - we had 29 shots.

"Swansea is a good team, they were ready to attack us but we were well balanced and that was the key to controlling the game in the second half. For us it is best to keep going, keep training and we have another game on Saturday

"I think we have quality and spirit in the team."

Swansea boss Paul Clement said: "It was a hard afternoon, they had a massive amount of chances, set-play after set-play and we suffered at times.

"I'm happy we ended up with a point and it could have been a lot worse. The last-gasp defending was good but we didn't use the ball well enough further up the pitch.

"We are pleased we have got out of here with a draw. Every game we play we have to try to get points on the board and look to play better. I'm sure they will be disappointed and think 'how have we not won'."

SOCIAL SAYS

DREAM TEAM RATINGS

Southampton: Forster 6, Soares 6, Stephens 6, Yoshida 7, Bertrand 7, Davis 7, Romeu 7, Ward-Prowse 7, Tadic 7, Redmond 6, Gabbiadini 6, McQueen 6, Boufal 6, Austin 6

Subs not used: Long, Lemina, Taylor, Bednarek

Swansea City: Fabianski 7, Naughton 7, Fernandez 7, Mawson 7, Olsson 6, Fer 7, Britton 6, Carroll 6, Abraham 6, Routledge 6, J Ayew 6, McBurnie 6, Fulton 5, Bartley 6

Subs not used: Narsingh, Nordfeldt, Rangel, Mesa

ATTENDANCE: 31,447

REFEREE: Mike Jones

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