Cyle Larin & Southampton Gearing Up for South Coast Derby

Written By Gareth Hinton | Published at October 10, 2026

Soccer Football - FIFA World Cup 2026 - Round of 16 - Canada v Morocco - Houston Stadium, Houston, Texas, U.S. - July 4, 2026 Morocco's Yassine Boubou in action with Canada's Cyle Larin IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters/Maria Lysaker

Canada’s international striker Cyle Larin should be fit for Southampton’s EFL Championship derby with rivals Portsmouth on Sunday.

Larin left the Canada camp early during the international window with a back injury, but Saints boss Tonda Eckert has confirmed his fitness for the derby.

Larin Leaves Canadian Camp

Larin was on Jesse Marsch’s roster during the recent international window. However, the 31-year-old returned to St Mary’s early after complaining of a back problem.

The Saints striker started and played 76 minutes of Canada’s 1-0 victory over Chile at BMO Field. He later missed the 2-0 win against Peru and the 1-0 loss to the USA with a back issue.

Despite the loss to the Stars and Stripes, it was a successful international window for Les Rouges. Canada is bidding to reach its third consecutive FIFA World Cup. The nation reached the last 16 of the 2026 edition, breaking many records along the way.

Saints’ No. 9 in Red-Hot Form

Larin has made a sensational start to his 2026/27 season in the English Championship, scoring seven goals in eight league fixtures. The Canadian is top of the scoring chart, one ahead of Middlesbrough’s Will Lankshear.

Larin has scored in every league match at St Mary’s this term, netting in home wins against Stoke City, Millwall, Swansea City, and Bristol City.

Next up for Southampton is the South Coast derby against rivals Portsmouth. The in-form Saints go into the derby as the favourites, but Pompey is always a tough opponent in this fixture.

Larin is set to be fit for the game, which is great news for the Southampton fans. The Canada international is one of the hottest strikers in England’s second tier right now, and the former Orlando City man will be eager to add to his seven Championship goals.

Southampton has made a strong start and is looking like promotion candidates. Having been kicked out of the Championship playoffs last term, can Eckert's men secure automatic promotion to the Premier League this season?