'I wonder' - Southampton fans thankful to Daniel Peretz for top 6 return

Southampton fans wax lyrical on keeper Daniel Peretz after his masterclass in the crucial 1-0 win over Norwich City.

Southampton’s latest 1-0 win against Norwich City lifts them into the playoff places for the first time this season. The Saints leapfrogged Wrexham into 6th spot with the same points but a better goal difference than the Reds.

It’s been a remarkable turnaround by Tonda Eckert’s side after they sat 15th in the Championship until January. While the entire squad deserves credit for the surge, special recognition must go to keeper Daniel Peretz.

That’s because the 25-year-old has brought a night-and-day difference since joining Southampton. The win over Norwich was just another example of him being the difference-maker for the Saints.

Peretz denied Norwich an astonishing xG of 1.70 with seven saves made over the evening. With any other keeper in goal, Southampton would have been staring at defeat.

As early as the 13th minute, Peretz began the proceedings as he stopped a powerful shot from Slimane from inside the box. The keeper continued his heroics as he denied Norwich captain McLean with a key dipping save.

The highlight of Peretz’s masterclass came with a stunning double save. After stopping a long‑range strike from Ali Ahmed, he reacted instantly to keep out Kellen Fischer’s low rebound.

Southampton fans react to Peretz’s masterclass

Such a terrific performance in goal has earned Daniel Peretz tons of appreciation from Saints fans. One fan summed up just how big an upgrade he’s been on former keeper Gavin Bazunu, saying, “It’s a far cry from Gavin Bazunu.”

A comparative look at the Southampton stats of Daniel Peretz and Bazunu this Championship season explains the story.

Gavin Bazunu – 28 goals conceded in 19 games(3 clean sheets)

Daniel Peretz – 10 goals conceded in 12 games(5 clean sheets)

Apart from these staggering figures, Peretz has almost single-handedly won the last two games for Southampton. In the Bazunu era, this is something fans could only dream of.

Another fan attributed Peretz’s incredible quality to his parent club, Bayern Munich’s credentials. The supporter mentioned, “On Bayerns books for a reason, blokes class.”

Though Peretz enjoyed little to no regular game time at Bayern, the fact that he earned a move to the German giants at just 23 speaks to his talent. Having trained alongside one of the all-time greats, Manuel Neuer, such attributes show up in Peretz’s lightning reflexes and positioning on the ball.

Peretz’s performance against Norwich was so decisive that even opposition fans sang praises of him. One Norwich fan mentioned, “He played a blinder last night. I can remember Antti Niemi always playing well against us.”

For context, Antti Niemi is regarded as one of the Saints’ finest modern-day keepers. The former goalkeeper kept 40 clean sheets in the 123 appearances he made for Southampton.

The fact that Peretz is drawing such comparisons after fewer than 15 appearances says everything about his impact.

What if Southampton started the season with Daniel Peretz?

One Southampton fan didn’t hesitate, but put the glaring question upfront, saying, “Terrific signing – let’s complete it asap. I wonder where we’d be in the league if we’d had him from the start.”

Long answer short, Southampton would’ve been in automatic promotion discussions at the very least. Ever since Peretz’s arrival, Southampton’s trajectory has seen a night-and-day difference.

Notably, boss Tonda’s initial dream run had been met by a challenging spell before the manager had to rethink his game plan once again. Here, Peretz emerged as a game-changer for Southampton and Tonda Eckert by carrying the results with his exceptional displays.

So far, Peretz has lost just one game in his Saints tenure. The keeper has stood tall against the Championship’s best and has been rock solid by refusing to concede cheap goals.

The immediate next step for Southampton is to sign Daniel Peretz permanently. By all accounts, Peretz is the keeper Southampton have been searching for, and he can be the number 1 for the Saints in the Premier League and beyond.