Birmingham City will be out for revenge on Saturday as they look to keep their fine run of form going.
Southampton visit St Andrew’s in the evening match (5.20pm kick-off).
And the memory of Saints' 4-1 drubbing of Blues back in September is still one that pains all at Wast Hills.
In every other game this season, including Europe and the Carling Cup tie at Manchester City, Blues have been in with a chance of a result.
Not at St Mary’s.
They were blown away in the first-half when Rickie Lambert opened the scoring after 11 minutes from the penalty spot and then further goals came from Guly do Prado and Adam Lallana by the 34th.
Blues rallied after the break, with Chris Wood scoring and Stephen Carr hitting the post.
But Richard Chaplow, with a late breakaway, sealed Blues' misery and suggested a long, hard season of struggle ahead.
Back then, Saints were flying. They were winning game after game on their home turf – the victory over Blues was their 13th straight – and topping the Championship table.
Now it’s a little bit different. Blues are in form. They have won six games in a row and are unbeaten in 10.
They boast the division’s only unbeaten home record, while Southampton lost their last two in front of their own fans and Lambert’s penalty on Tuesday rescued a point against Cardiff City at St Mary’s.
Adding extra spice to the fixture is Blues position in the standings.
The 4-1 thumping of Leeds United on Tuesday moved them up to fourth place, just five points behind Southampton with a game in hand. In September, Blues were toiling in 14th place and headed to the south coast off the back of their first Europa League group game.
Marlon King made his first league start for Blues after injury in the corresponding fixture, Liam Ridgewell was going through the motions at left-back and Morgaro Gomis and Jonathan Spector comprised the central midfield duo.
Blues were very much a work in progress and finding out about themselves, and Chris Hughton was trying to fashion the right formula.
Hughton has cautioned about getting carried away after the superb spell of form, that has seen goals galore.
Blues have bashed 18 in the last five matches and the goal at Leeds was the first conceded in 451 minutes.
But even the manager has been left purring about what his charges are doing and what he is seeing.
After the Leeds success, he commented: “I’m absolutely delighted with the way we are playing. I couldn’t be happier.
“But there are still areas we can improve on and we’re very conscious of how difficult this division is.
“To any club to go on a run of two, three wins on the spin it’s massive towards anything they want to achieve in the league. And of course we want to keep it going.
“But tomorrow’s another day. We now plan for a big game on Saturday.”
Blues will have Guirane N’Daw available after his return from the Africa Cup of Nations. And King could be fit after missing the last two matches due to a groin problem.
