Southampton's trip to West Ham United on Saturday promises to be a tantalising watch for the neutral.

Already this season, the Hammers have scored a jaw-dropping 30 goals in league action, with Jarrod Bowen treating the Championship like his very own playground with 11 goal contributions from 11 matches.

The Saints also love entertaining the St Mary's masses, with 21 goals scored on their end.

Hopefully, the match can live up to its billing as being a full throttle meeting between two promotion favourites.

Tonda Eckert will likely have to make do without Cyle Larin from the start, which will hamper their firepower, as Larin has a red-hot seven Championship goals next to his name this season.

The German will be looking to Finn Azaz to deliver the goods in the Brampton Bagman's absence, with the one-time Middlesbrough playmaker speaking to the Daily Echo, in the build-up to the clash at the London Stadium, about his desire for the game on the weekend to show Southampton mean business.

Azaz's fighting talk ahead of West Ham

Heading into the season, Flynn Downes would speak about Southampton harbouring title-winning aspirations.

Currently, the Saints are in the expanded playoff format in the Championship, which should be commended, as they started the season with an immediate four point deduction.

But, they will be looking to enter into the top two in the matches to come, and if they win at West Ham, they would show they belong in this intense race, as Nuno Espirito Santo's men are only one point off the Championship summit, at the time of writing.

Azaz is certainly pumped up to win on the road at the London Stadium, with the Irishman stating in the build-up to the hotly anticipated match, that he sees it as a chance for Eckert and Co. to "stamp their authority."

The eye-catching number ten said: “It’s a massive game. I think it’s a really good time for us to show the level that we’re on and rise to that.

"They're obviously one of the best teams in the league, one of, if not the best squad on paper, so we need to step up all the things we've been working on.

“It’s a good opportunity to really stamp our authority on the league. We showed it last season, playing against Premier League sides, playing against Cov.

“We know that if we perform to our level, with the players we’ve got and the game plan the manager’s going to provide, we believe we can beat anyone.”

Clearly, Azaz is confident that the Saints can rise to the challenge and beat a team that boasts the likes of the 22-time England international in Bowen, and he could be key in such a statement victory being secured, as the 26-year-old does usually shine in tense contests for the promotion chasers.

He shines in big games

When table-topping Swansea City came to St Mary's earlier in the season, Azaz stole the show.

Indeed, he would break the early deadlock, which set the tone for a confident 3-1 win to be secured.

Finn Azaz has put Southampton ahead against league leading Swansea 💥 pic.twitter.com/jRzLBkGsM5

— Sky Sports Football (@SkyFootball) September 8, 2026

An early goal in Southampton's favour on the road at the London Stadium could really set the cat among the pigeons, and the number ten will be entering the game without a single bit of fear coursing through his veins, as he is a top-class player at the level, just like the aforementioned Bowen.

He has eight goal contributions next to his name, which isn't far off Bowen's untouchable tally of 11, and when he isn't scoring nerve-settling strikes, he's assisting other Saints individuals in key moments of games.

He would cut open the Portsmouth defence with ease early on during the South Coast Derby, with James Bree thankfully finishing the golden chance handed to him by Azaz.

Lift-off in the South Coast derby!

Finn Azaz plays a wonderful ball through to James Bree, who makes no mistake with the finish 🔥 pic.twitter.com/TVKrUX0UhJ

— Sky Sports Football (@SkyFootball) October 11, 2026

The final scoreline would read 1-0, as the Saints managed to dig deep to claim the bragging rights, away from the number ten's split-second moment of genius.

It would be an ecstasy on the same level as that determined win if they were to rock up to Nuno's title favourites and shock them, with Azaz ready to firm up why he's such a guaranteed first-teamer under Eckert, by - hopefully - providing another moment of match-winning quality.