Southampton's return to the Premier League at St Mary's ended in disappointment as they lost 1-0 to Nottingham Forest, with Morgan Gibbs-White scoring the only goal of the match in the 70th minute. Despite Southampton's possession-based approach under manager Russell Martin, they struggled offensively, registering just one shot on target and earning no points from their opening two games. Forest dominated much of the match, creating numerous chances and boasting a significantly higher expected goals (xG) value of 2.31 compared to Southampton's 0.2. Saints' defense faltered at crucial moments, particularly during set pieces, while their attacking play lacked urgency and effectiveness, leading to frustration among home fans. The defeat left Southampton in 16th place, while Forest climbed to fourth in the standings. Russell Martin will need to reassess his tactics to avoid further poor results as the season progresses.