The Saints arrive in South Wales on a formidable run, unbeaten in 18 matches across all competitions and winners of their last seven games.
It is a surge that has propelled them to within touching distance of the automatic promotion places and for Swans head coach Matos, that strength makes the task clear.
“Southampton is probably the best team in the league at the moment, they have a great squad and are able to rotate but have the same performance level,” he said.
“They are really organised with the ball, they like to overload the centre of the pitch as a means to break the lines.
“They press very well, too, they make it uncomfortable for their opponents and they have a good manager.”
That assessment underlines the scale of the assignment awaiting Swansea, but Matos has framed it as an opportunity rather than an obstacle.
With his side showing more resilience in recent weeks, he believes they are ready to embrace the challenge head-on.
“They are in a good moment, but that is good for us because it is a chance for us to show we want to play, perform and beat anyone,” he added.
Swansea head into the fixture, currently 14th in a crowded mid-table but on a three-game unbeaten run, having secured a win away at Leicester City and draws against Sheffield United and Middlesbrough.
Those results have come against sides with significant stakes at either end of the table, something Matos sees as evidence of his team’s mindset.
“I think it is clear we are motivated. Middlesbrough were fighting for promotion when we played them, Leicester were fighting to avoid relegation when we played them.
“So we have faced teams who have a lot at stake, and we showed that these games mean a lot to us.”
Rather than altering their approach, Matos wants Swansea to continue their more recent adventurous style, even against what he regards as the toughest opponent in the division right now.
“The performance is our goal, which means we need to be ready to look in the eyes of the opposition, ready to play offensively, to press high and counter-press, but be dominant with the ball as well.
“We want to do this against every kind of opponent. Playing for this badge means something different, and that feeling of having a winning mentality and building a foundation that allows us to go against everything and compete against every kind of team.”
“That is what we want. That’s our clear starting point, we need to make sure we are right. It’s about showing what we want our identity to be.”
While Southampton represent the immediate focus, Matos also acknowledged the broader threats around his squad, including continued external interest in leading scorer Zan Vipotnik after a prolific campaign.
Vipotnik has been one of the standout performers in the Championship, leading the scoring charts with 21 goals and attracting attention from clubs across Europe.
Reports have linked him with sides in Portugal and England, but Matos insists there has been no disruption to Swansea’s preparations.
"He's a good player scoring goals so I believe there's interest of other clubs, that's normal," said Matos.
"[But there is] nothing new from our side, there was no-one coming here asking something, so we just keep training.
"He's training well. That's the most important thing, that he keeps doing that, focuses on the season, focuses on what he can improve, focuses on trying to help the team to fulfil our goals and our next goal is to beat Southampton."
