James Ward-Prowse will be looking to equal the all-time Premier League free-kick record set by David Beckham when his Southampton side face Leeds United on Saturday.
The 28-year-old midfielder has built a reputation as a dead-ball specialist during his 12-year professional career with the Saints, plying his trade as a Premier League player in each of the last 11 seasons.
Ward-Prowse scored his third free kick of the season when he curled a stunning effort into the bottom corner to secure an impressive 1-0 victory for Southampton against Chelsea at Stamford Bridge last season.
Interestingly, each of his last eight direct free-kick goals have been scored away from home, and the Saints skipper will be hoping to add to his tally at Elland Road on Saturday.
Ward-Prowse has scored a total of 46 goals in the Premier League, remarkably netting 37% of those from direct free kicks (17).
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Should the midfielder score another free kick this weekend against Leeds, he will equal the all-time record of 18 free kicks set by England legend Beckham.
Like Ward-Prowse, Beckham was renowned for his ability to score from set-pieces during his playing days in the top flight with Manchester United and on the international stage with England.
The 47-year-old also scored the majority of his Premier League free kicks away from home, firing in 11 of his 18 on the road compared with 13 out of 17 for Ward-Prowse.
Beckham's record of 18 free kicks was set in 265 matches for the Red Devils between 1996-97 and 2002-03, including five strikes in the 2000-01 campaign.
Ward-Prowse, who is poised to make his 329th Premier League appearance and equal the club record set by Jason Dodd, has only ever scored as many as four free kicks in a single Premier League campaign, doing so in 2020-21 and 2021-22, but two more converted free kicks this term would see him break his own record and equal Beckham's feat in the process.
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The Englishman has admitted that he "dreamed" to score free kicks when he was younger and he is pleased that his dedication to perfecting his technique has paid off.
Speaking to BBC Match of the Day after scoring against Chelsea last weekend, Ward-Prowse said: "It's an amazing feeling. I've scored better goals than that one, but I was pleased to see it go in.
"It is good for me to know any skill in life you work hard for you can perfect it. When I was a kid doing this in my parents garden it was what I dreamed to do so it is great to do it today."
While Ward-Prowse will endeavour to reach a personal landmark, his priority will be helping basement club Southampton secure three valuable points in a bottom-of-the-table clash against 19th-placed Leeds.
On Friday morning, the Saints confirmed that Ruben Selles has been appointed the club's permanent manager until the end of the season, replacing Nathan Jones who was sacked just under two weeks ago.
Oliver Thomas
