Claude Puel's Southampton aiming to improve for seventh successive campaign

With the new Premier League campaign days away, we run the rule over each club in the 2016/17 campaign.

New manager Claude Puel will aim to build on another record-breaking season of progress for Southampton after being appointed this summer.

Highest finishing position

Last season Southampton finished sixth, their highest placing in the Premier League, with a club-record haul of 63 points. Their efforts in 2015/16 mean the club have improved on their previous position for six successive seasons.

Signings

The move of manager Ronald Koeman to Everton started another summer of change for Southampton, with Graziano Pelle, Victor Wanyama and Sadio Mane also leaving St Mary's.

Puel arrives after an impressive coaching career in France and has been busy in the transfer market. Defender Jeremy Pied linked up with his former Nice coach along with winger Nathan Redmond (Norwich City), Crystal Palace goalkeeper Alex McCarthy and 20-year-old Bayern Munich midfielder Pierre Emile-Hojbjerg.

Charlie Austin is fit and ready to fill the void left up front by Pelle after missing much of the second half of 2015/16 since joining in January.

Expected formation

The 4-4-2 diamond has been most prominent in Southampton’s pre-season friendlies under Puel, who, says Adrian Clarke, has a reputation of producing attractive and fast-paced style of attacking football.

Managers

Puel took over Southampton after transforming Nice from a side battling relegation to fourth in Ligue 1 last season.

He had spent his entire career in France, racking up over 450 appearances for Monaco, including a seven-year spell under Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger.

As coach, Puel led Monaco to the Ligue 1 title before spending six years at Lille and nurturing players such as Eden Hazard. He guided Lyon to the UEFA Champions League semi-finals during a three-year spell before taking over at Nice in 2011.

In total Southampton have had 13 managers in the PL, including Puel.

Last season

After winning only one of their first six matches and suffering a difficult winter, Saints were looking over their shoulders before a six-match unbeaten run without conceding started a superb second half of the campaign.

Only Leicester City earned more points than Southampton's 39 in 2016, with four straight wins, including against Manchester City and Tottenham Hotspur, leading to a spot in the 2016/17 UEFA Europa League.

Pre-season form

Saints have won five of six 2016/17 pre-season matches

Southampton are unbeaten in pre-season, defeating DC United Under-23s, PEC Zwolle, FC Twente, Groningen and Athletic Bilbao, as well as earning a 1-1 draw with Espanyol at St Mary’s Stadium.

In six pre-season matches, Saints have scored 11 goals and conceded only twice.

Significant injuries

Southampton’s major injury concern at the moment is Ryan Bertrand, who has been ruled out of their PL opener at home to Watford with a knee issue.

Jose Fonte and Cedric Soares are both lacking match fitness having returned late from UEFA Euro 2016, which they won with Portugal.

Florin Gardos has missed some of pre-season as he recovers from a long-term knee injury that ruled him out of 2015/16.

Manager quote

“I like to improve the young players. It's important for the club and important for me at all the clubs I have managed.

"It is a possibility to work with an excellent academy. Many good players come through this academy and it will be important for me to improve these players and to give the club the possibilities to stay at a high level with young players of the club.”

See: Southampton v Watford