The Danish champions earned a 1-1 draw in the first leg of the Europa League play-off, putting Saints’ hopes of reaching the group stages in doubt.
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Southampton have made four changes from Saturday’s 3-0 defeat against Everton ahead of their Europa League qualifying playoff first leg at home to FC Midtjylland.
But gradually the Danes began to get into the game, and Petter Andersson shot just a foot wide after a free kick was not cleared.
The hosts were then fortunately bailed out by goalkeeper Maarten Stekelenburg in the 25th minute, the Dutchman palming away Erik Sviatchenko’s seemingly goal-bound header after a launched Hansen throw-in.
Midtjylland, whose majority shareholder is Brentford owner Matthew Benham, employ the same percentage approach to their football as the Championship outfit.
Oriol Romeu is handed his first start for the Saints, while Steven Caulker, James Ward-Prowse and Jay Rodriguez are restored to the starting XI.
Former England and Manchester City striker Marsh clearly does not think much of Southampton’s home draw. The QPR man could prove to be a shrewd loan addition by Ronald Koeman – who is still chasing further defensive recruits.
Koeman cut an increasingly frustrated figure as his side passed up their early supremacy and fell behind to Sparv’s goal. If it had been the Premier League there would have been no whistle.
“The situation is so easy”, Koeman said. “We’re not really the favourites any more as they have a good result”. In my opinion it’s a legal goal, it’s a normal goal. I’m more happy about the second half.
“We have to learn, they are a hard side”.
SAINTS manager Ronald Koeman believes Midtjylland were wasting time from the first minute at St Mary’s last night – and that referee Clement Turpin should have done more to prevent it.
‘If we miss five of the seven that’s one of the reasons we have already conceded five goals against us in two Premier League games, ‘ Koeman said.
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“It’s challenging for your league [form], but we’ve got a lot of players in now”. “I back us to go there and put in a good performance”. The reaction of the crowd was lovely, it was the sort of thing I’ve been waiting for ever since I’ve been out injured.
