Rob Edwards singles out £12m Southampton ace Middlesbrough but be wary of

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While Rob Edwards has masterminded Middlesbrough’s best start to a league season in 149 years, the Boro boss will be looking to avoid another landmark away to Championship underachievers Southampton on Saturday.

With five wins and a draw from their six second-tier matches so far, Rob Edwards has made Middlesbrough history. Not only their best start this century, but better than any in the last century too.

And with Southampton in dreadful form by comparison, some will argue that Boro have the perfect chance to end a 22-year wait for a win at St Mary’s.

From Boudewijn Zenden, George Boateng and Malcolm Christie in 2022, to Sontje Hansen, Hayden Hackney and David Strelec in 2025.

Edwards is not taking the threat of Southampton lightly, however. The Saints belatedly kick-starting their season against the early pacesetters – perhaps with a winner from Finn Azaz one month after leaving Middlesbrough for the banks of the Solent – would have a piercing sour cutting through a very sweet beginning to the Edwards era.

Middlesbrough boss Rob Edwards wary of Southampton’s Finn Azaz

With expectations high following that £12 million transfer fee, Southampton newbie Finn Azaz came under fire as his new employers suffered a dreadful 3-1 defeat at Hull City last time out.

Rob Edwards called Azaz an ‘excellent’ talent, and a potential game-changer, during their brief time together at the Riverside, however. He is in no mood to poke the bear or aim any pre-match barbs in the direction of a player who will be desperate to prove a point after leaving the league leaders for a team 18 places and ten points worse off.

“Clearly, they’ve got a good team,” Edwards said during his Friday press conference. “They’ve got loads of good individuals, and I think what Will wants – listening to some of the things that he’ll talk about and say – he wants a quick, exciting game.

“He wants them to be able to press and play forward and run forward. Loads of energy. They’ve got lots of players who are good, technical players who can play in between the lines.

“We know one [Finn Azaz] very well! Yeah, they have got quality all over the pitch.”

One of the most influential attacking talents in the entire Championship on his day, Azaz scored 12 goals while providing 11 assists in his final league season with Middlesbrough.

The Boro faithful know from experience, however, that Azaz has a tendency to flit from the awesome to the anonymous.

It is the latter version Southampton have seen so far, though all that could change with one trademark curling strike of the ball.

Edwards backs Will Still to turn around the Saints’ dreadful start

The strength in depth at Will Still’s disposal was very apparent during the valiant EFL Cup defeat to Liverpool in midweek. Southampton made nine changes from the team that lost at Hull but the Premier League champions needed a late winner from Hugo Ekitike to see off their dogged opponents.

And, despite having not won a league match since the opening day against ten-man Wrexham, EFL Analysis can confirm that Southampton remain confident in Will Still and his ability to get a talented squad pulling in the right direction.

“Nine changes and they performed really well. They’ll be happy with that,” adds Edwards, who will be without Dael Fry again but hopes to have Darragh Lenihan available.

“They have played a couple of different ways, with different formations this season. Some people have left, which happens when you get relegated from the Premier League. But they’ve been able to recruit well.

“They haven’t got the results that they would have wanted yet, but some of the performances have been very good and they’ve been tight games. It will happen for them. They’ve got very good players.

“And we have got to make sure that we go and be the best versions of ourselves.”