Cambridge United boss excited for challenge of taking on Premier League side Southampton in Carabao Cup

Cambridge United head coach Mark Bonner is looking forward to the challenge of taking on a “really talented” Southampton side in the Carabao Cup.

The U’s face Premier League opposition at the Abbey this evening, as they host Ralph Hasenhuttl’s Saints in their second round tie.

The visitors come into tonight’s clash off the back of their first win of the campaign, a 2-1 victory at Leicester City, and Bonner is eager to see how his side match up to top flight opponents.

“They’re very good obviously, they had a great result at the weekend,” the head coach said.

“These games, similar to the ones we’ve had last year, are very hard to plan for, because you don’t know how they’ll go about the game.

“They’ve played a number of systems so far this year in games, and changed in game and between games, but you don’t know whether they’re going to use this as a game to give minutes to other players, or put those players that had a good result at the weekend out again.

“They’ve only played three Saturday games so far, but they’ve got Man United at the weekend and Chelsea on Tuesday, so therefore we’d expect that they’ll probably make some changes, but we will as well. We know the stage of the season that we’re in, in that sense.

“We know when you play against top teams you’re going to come up against some brilliant players whichever team they pick, and I think it’ll be a good atmosphere and a good crowd.

“I’m looking forward to the game, and looking forward to seeing if we can compete against a team that no doubt will have some really talented players.”

The U’s head into tonight’s clash buoyed by a 1-1 draw at Charlton Athletic on Saturday, whilst they knocked out Championship side Millwall in the first round to set up the tie.

Bonner