Southampton

Image source, Shutterstock

All English Football League games across a four-day period in February will begin one minute late to raise awareness for the Every Minute Matters campaign.

The initiative will be in place for 36 matches across the Championship, League One and League Two between 5 and 9 February.

EFL sponsor Sky Bet and the British Heart Foundation (BHF) have been working together since May 2024 to highlight the importance of speed when it comes to performing live-saving CPR.

Later kick-off times will serve as "a stark reminder that every minute matters", the EFL said.

Bristol Rovers defender Tom Lockyer collapsed while playing for Luton Town eight minutes into the Championship play-off final against Coventry in May 2023.

Lockyer then suffered a cardiac arrest on the pitch seven months later during a Premier League game at Bournemouth.

"What happened to me can happen to anyone, anywhere, at any time," said Lockyer, who is now a BHF ambassador.

"Every year, more than 40,000 people in the UK suffer an out-of-hospital cardiac arrest and most of them never make it home.

"I'm here today because of the transformative power of CPR as every minute matters when it comes to saving a life.

"This February, we want everyone to get behind this life-saving initiative, learn the skills and be ready to step in because your actions could give someone else the chance I was given."

Throughout February, the Every Minute Matters campaign will call on fans to learn CPR using the BHF's online RevivR, external tool.

"Each minute without CPR reduces a person's chance of survival, so we're urging fans to learn the skills now, before you ever need them," said Dr Charmaine Griffiths, chief executive of the BHF.

EFL chief executive officer Trevor Birch added: "The one minute kick-off adjustment is a simple, powerful reminder that swift CPR can be the difference between life and death."

Image source, Getty Images

Southampton boss Tonda Eckert has urged his side to play with "more conviction" as they prepare to host Sheffield United in the Championship on Wednesday night.

Saints are on a poor run of form, having gone seven matches without a win in the league since a 3-2 victory over West Bromwich Albion on 9 December.

Saturday's defeat at home by Hull City left Eckert's side 15th in the table and 10 points adrift of the Championship play-off places.

"It was a tough one on the day and there's only one way to shake it off - to go again and that's what we're going to do," he told BBC Radio Solent.

"I think we need more conviction from very deep inside.

"If you look at the data of the game, and also other games, I think it's very clear [what is going wrong] but there is something fundamental to the game which comes from deep inside and that's what we need to put onto the pitch.

"We are all in the same boat together but it's not about pointing fingers. We have had some very honest conversations, importantly, and I think that's where we move forward as a group.

"Accountability is something that always starts with me for myself, first, and not me for somebody else."

Image source, Opta

Southampton and Sheffield United will seek to get back to winning ways as they meet at St Mary's on Wednesday (19:45 GMT).

Saints went down 2-1 at home to Hull City on Saturday and are now 15th and winless in seven games, taking just three points and scoring five times in that run.

The inconsistent Blades have won three and lost three across their past six games and are one point and two places below their hosts after finishing with nine-men as they went down 1-0 at Charlton on Saturday.

• Southampton have won each of their past five league meetings with Sheffield United; in their Football League history, only against three sides have they won 6+ in a row: Hull (6 from 2011 to 2015), Crystal Palace twice (6 from 1955 to 1958, 7 from 2009 to 2015), and Newport County (8 from 1922 to 1955).

• Sheffield United have lost on their past two league visits to Southampton, but have never lost three in a row at the Saints before.

• Southampton have only lost one of their past 26 home games on a Wednesday in the second tier (W18 D7), although that was to Sheffield United in December 2005 (0-1).

• Sheffield United have won their past two league games on a Wednesday, last winning three in a row on this day of the week in March 2021 in the Premier League.

• Sheffield United's Chris Wilder has lost all five of his league games as a manager against Southampton, only facing Liverpool more without picking up a point (6).

Image source, Getty Images

Southampton manager Tonda Eckert believes his side did enough to beat Hull City, despite losing 2-1 at St Mary's.

Ross Stewart pulled a late goal back but the damage was done by first half goals by Kyle Joseph and Charlie Hughes.

Eckert said they were "easy" goals to let in, but wants his team to put the result out of their minds quickly.

"If we look at the stats the game has a very clear direction but the result is a different one. We need to get our heads up and put our chests out.

"There were two moments in the first half where we gave very easy goals away.

"For me the job is to create chances and we had more than enough to have won the game today."

The Saints are 16th in the Championship and winless in seven league games. Eckert says he understands the predicament but is working hard to put it right.

"We need to start winning football games. We have a chance to do this on Wednesday and we'll invest everything to do that.

"I have all of the faith that there is that we will show a reaction. I live and breathe for this football club and I do everything 24/7 to bring it back on the road and that will continue.

Image source, Opta

Southampton will look to get back on track as they host playoff-chasing Hull City on Saturday (15:00 GMT).

After going winless in six Championship games either side of Christmas, claiming just three points, Saints start the day in 15th, nine points clear of the drop-zone and eight adrift of the play-off places, though the highest they could climb with a win is 13th.

The Tigers are seventh, out of the play-offs on goal difference alone, after seeing a five-match unbeaten streak ended by a 1-0 defeat to Stoke in their most recent Championship game on 1 January.

• Southampton have lost three of their past five league games against Hull (W1 D1), having won six in a row beforehand.

• Hull City are looking for their first league double over Southampton since the 1950/51 campaign.

• Southampton average the most possession (57.6%) in the Championship this season, while the Saints have also had the most build-up attacks (70), the most open play sequences with 10+ passes (340), the most passes per sequence (3.9) and longest average sequence time (10.5 seconds) in 2025/26.

• Hull City have won 16 points in their past eight away Championship matches (W5 D1 L2) and since October only Coventry (18) have more away points than the Tigers (16). They have the best points per game in that time, however (2 per game).

• Southampton's Adam Armstrong is the leading scorer in the Championship this season with 11 goals, while he's had the most shots (81) and shots on target (34), although he hasn't scored in his past six games. He did, however, net the Saints' only goal in a 3-1 defeat to Hull earlier this campaign

Southampton keeper Gavin Bazunu is a target for Stoke following Viktor Johansson's injury, with a loan deal for 23-year-old Republic of Ireland international in the offing with a clause to make the move permanent in the summer. (Irish Independent, external)

Want more transfer news from the EFL? Take a look at Monday's gossip column here.

Image source, Getty Images

The 2025-26 FA Cup fourth-round draw will take place on Monday, 12 January at approximately 18:35 GMT.

Proceedings will take place before kick-off in the third-round tie between Liverpool and Barnsley at Anfield.

Former England internationals Steven Gerrard and Joe Cole will conduct the draw that will consist of 32 teams live on TNT Sports.

Supporters can also follow the draw on the BBC Sport website and app.

All matches will be played around the weekend commencing Saturday, 14 February.

Unlike in previous years, there are no replays if matches end as a draw. All ties will go to extra time, and if necessary, a penalty shootout.

Non-league Macclesfield are the lowest-ranked team in the draw after beating holders Crystal Palace in a remarkable 2-1 victory.

What are the ball numbers?

• 1. Wolverhampton Wanderers

• 2. Southampton

• 3. Aston Villa

• 4. Port Vale

• 5. Wigan Athletic

• 6. Ipswich Town

• 7. Wrexham

• 8. Chelsea

• 9. Manchester City

• 10. West Ham United

• 11. Brentford

• 12. Fulham

• 13. Sunderland

• 14. Liverpool or Barnsley

• 15. Burnley

• 16. Norwich City

• 17. Arsenal

• 18. Leeds United

• 19. West Bromwich Albion

• 20. Salford City or Swindon Town

• 21. Burton Albion

• 22. Grimsby Town

• 23. Hull City

• 24. Newcastle United

• 25. Oxford United

• 26. Leicester City

• 27. Birmingham City

• 28. Bristol City

• 29. Stoke City

• 30. Macclesfield

• 31. Brighton & Hove Albion

• 32. Mansfield Town

Pundits Dion Dublin and Rob Green join host Jason Mohammad to bring you the action and talking points from Friday and Saturday's FA Cup ties.

Watch on BBC iPlayer here

And listen back to full match commentaries on BBC Sounds:

• Wrexham 3-3 (4-3 pens) Nottingham Forest

• Preston North End 0-1 Wigan

• Macclesfield Town 2-1 Crystal Palace

• Everton 1-1 (0-3 pens) Sunderland

• Wolves 6-1 Shrewsbury Town

• Fulham 3-1 Middlesbrough

• Manchester City 10-1 Exeter City

• Newcastle 3-3 (7-6 pens) Bournemouth

• Stoke City 1-0 Coventry City

• Tottenham 1-2 Aston Villa

• Bristol City 5-1 Watford

• Cambridge United 2-3 Birmingham City

• Charlton 1-5 Chelsea

Southampton head coach Tonda Eckert praised his team's first-half display but called for greater resilience at set-pieces after their narrow FA Cup win at Doncaster Rovers.

"The FA Cup is a very special tournament, and never an easy one, because you have nothing to lose when you go down, so I'm very pleased we're in the next round," he told BBC Radio Solent.

"In the end, there were some patterns we have seen all season. We need to make sure we improve our resilience on set plays.

"It was a very good first-half. The second-half could have been better, but we're in the next round.

"We have a good squad but we have seen that flow in a game before, even at 3-0 up at half-time, we have conceded off a corner and [start] suffering.

On Daniel Peretz: "It's not so easy when you come in after a couple of training sessions with new colleagues and have to learn their names and ways of defending but he had an excellent game, a very promising start."

There are 18 third-round ties in the FA Cup on Saturday - 16 involving Premier League and Championship teams, who all enter the competition at this stage - and BBC Sport will bring you every moment.

• Cheltenham v Leicester (12:15) - BBC Radio Leicester

• Everton v Sunderland (12:15) - BBC Radio 5 Sports Extra 2

• Macclesfield v Crystal Palace (12:15) - BBC iPlayer, BBC Radio 5 Live & BBC Radio Manchester

• Wolves v Shrewsbury (12:15) - BBC Radio 5 Sports Extra 3 & BBC Radio WM

• Boreham Wood v Burton Albion

• Burnley v Millwall - BBC Radio London

• Doncaster v Southampton - BBC Radio Solent

• Fulham v Middlesbrough - BBC Radio 5 Live

• Ipswich v Blackpool - BBC Radio Suffolk

• Man City v Exeter City - BBC Radio 5 Sports Extra

• Newcastle v Bournemouth - BBC Radio 5 Sports Extra 2 & BBC Radio Newcastle

• Salford P-P Swindon

• Sheff Wed v Brentford

• Stoke v Coventry - BBC Radio 5 Sports Extra 3, BBC Radio Stoke & BBC Radio CWR

• Bristol City v Watford (17:45) - BBC Radio 5 Sports Extra, BBC Radio Bristol and BBC Three Counties Radio

• Cambridge United v Birmingham (17:45) - BBC Radio 5 Sports Extra 2

• Grimsby v Weston (17:45)

• Tottenham v Aston Villa (17:45) - BBC iPlayer, BBC Radio 5 Live and BBC Radio London

• Charlton v Chelsea (20:00) - BBC Radio 5 Live and BBC Radio London

Kick-off times 15:00 GMT unless stated

Follow all of the action and reaction here

And find out how to follow the FA Cup across the BBC this weekend here

You can also listen to today's 5 Live commentaries on most smart speakers. Just say "ask BBC Sounds to play Fulham v Middlesbrough" or "ask BBC Sounds to play Tottenham v Aston Villa", for instance.

Find out more about how to listen to football on BBC Sounds

Image source, Shutterstock

Southampton manager Tonda Eckert has said Saturday's FA Cup tie at League One strugglers Doncaster Rovers is the ideal opportunity to return to winning ways.

Saints won six of Eckert's first seven matches in charge after he replaced the sacked Will Still, but have failed to win any of the following six games.

That has dampened pre-Christmas optimism about a run at the play-offs but the FA Cup brings an opportunity to inject new energy into the season.

"The cup is nice because you have a direct feedback after the game," Eckert told BBC Radio Solent.

"It's not something you can compensate for in the game after. It's that game, and that game only. Its a beautiful competition.

"We have big ambitions as a football club, and we know the results need to come quickly if we are to play for something this season.

"At the same time, it was clear the season was not going to be a one-way street, that's where the character shows in the end, and those moments where we have some minor dips. We need to make sure we get back to winning ways."

Doncaster Rovers have failed to win any of their previous six matches either, and are second bottom of League One, five points adrift of safety.

Eckert is still determined to give Grant McCann's side full respect.

"Its a good team, and to be fair we've watched many of their games," he added.

"They have performed better than their results show. A team with big energy, especially from midfield, a team that likes to cross a lot, and it's going to be a good challenge for us."

Eckert could give a debut to new goalkeeper Daniel Peretz who arrived on loan from Bayern Munich this week, providing the Israel international receives international clearance in time.

The 25-year-old was previously on loan at Hamburg, but has not played in the Bundesliga this season and was limited to just two appearances in the DFB Pokal.

"He looks ready," he said. "We've seen many of his games, even the games that he played in without having a lot of rhythm, and he looked very good, so we're pleased to have him.

"He obviously comes from a very big club, but had a very strong number one [Manuel Neuer] so not that easy to put him to the bench. Quality keeper, a complete keeper who can do all parts of the game."