RALPH Hasenhuttl predicts an ugly contest against Leeds United due to both teams piling pressure on their opponents and forcing errors.

Marcelo Bielsa’s side took the league by storm last year with an unrelenting commitment to pound the backlines of their opposition with pressure from the front, and following that up throughout his XI.

In turn, they were able to flip teams over and produce exciting football – while on the contrary, they did lose heavily to some of the top sides with their refusal to play deep and dirty.

So it makes it an interesting take that Hasenhuttl thinks it “won’t be a five-star dinner” when Saints host Leeds this weekend, pointing out how the clash of styles could lead to a breakdown of quality altogether.

It will be the third time Hasenhuttl has taken his Saints team into battle against Leeds in around nine months, but insists you learn nothing that you didn’t already know by playing them.

"I think nothing that you don't already know," Hasenhuttl said, "It will be maybe one of the most intense games all season.

“The passes that the opposition manage to complete against them is the lowest in the whole league.

"When we speak about pressing in our game, they are even more aggressive and they do it all ninety mins.

"This game will not always be nice to watch, because of the pressure we will both put on each other - so don't expect a five-star dinner, you won't see that.

"It will be about winning duels, winning second balls, using the space, there will be a lot of bad passes - and I'm sure this is how they play.”

While Hasenhuttl is able to accurately predict exactly how the weekend’s opponents will play makes for knowledge of a tough contest, it does best suit preparation too to know it’s unlikely a surprise will be sprung.

Leeds have struggled so far this season, similarly to Saints, only picking up their first win of the campaign last time out at Watford.

It comes after finishing ninth in the Premier League upon their first season returning, where only five teams scored more goals than them (62) yet they conceded more (54) than 60% of the division too.

"We have to find the right answer," Hasenhuttl continued, "We need to be prepared for all they offer us. It will be an intense fight."