Premier League Preview 5th Nov

Southampton are in desperate need of three points as they sit bottom of the Premier League. Bookmakers don’t give them much chance of getting anything from the game with West Brom and they are 41/10 (32 Red) for the victory. The Baggies have won four of their five games at home this season with only Man City getting something from the Hawthorns this season.

If recent form does not give the Saints much encouragement then the head to head record might as West Brom have not won any of the last seven league meetings with Southampton with five of these ending in a draw. It is 49/16 (pinnacle) that this game ends all square while a West Brom victory is a best priced 3/4 (ladbrokes/Coral).

Goals tend to be the order of the day when Southampton meet with each of their last five games featuring three or more. Bookmakers though are aware of this and have made it 4/6 (betfred) that both teams score and over 2.5 goals at 8/11 (Stan James). One way to play this game could be to take Southampton to score a goal before the 65th minute which is 5/6 with bet365. The Saints have managed a goal before this mark in seven of their nine Premier League games this season and in the last game netted in the 66th minute just outside the target leaving just one game they failed to fire in. West Brom have a reputation of being very tight though in recent weeks this has fallen off a little bit. They have not kept a clean sheet in any of their last four and QPR managed to grab two here and they do not carry the attacking threat that Southampton do.

Shane Long has scored the opening goal in three games this season and is 11/2 (bet365/BetVictor) to do so here. Long is an injury worry so if he does not start Lukaku could start and he is also 11/2 (general). James Morrison and Zoltan Gera tend to get forward from midfield for the Baggies and at 12/1 (Morison with BetVictor/Coral and Gera with ladbrokes) could offer some value. Gera is 4/1 in the anytime market (ladbrokes) while Morrison is 5/1 (Coral). Those who fancy a Southampton player to score first can get Rickie Lambert 8/1 (general).

In terms of Premier League outrights it is Man Utd who head the betting at 24/19 (32 Red) while Man City are 9/4 (paddy Power) and Chelsea are 10/3 (general). The gap in the table is just two points between the three and I imagine that this title race has plenty more twists and turns in it. I am not oppose to taking on United though with winnable games against Villa, Norwich, QPR, West Ham and Reading upcoming the Red Devils could get shorter still before they get bigger. Following the 1-1 draw between Liverpool and Newcastle the merseysiders are now 10/1 (BetVictor) to finish in the top four while Newcastle are 25/1 (bet365/Stan James/ladbrokes). Arsenal are 5/6 (Coral), Tottenham 9/4 (bet365) and Everton 13/2 (ladbrokes). At the other end of the table the draw in the game between QPR and Reading now means that QPR are 2/1 (boylesports) for the drop while Reading are 8/11 (general). Southampton who play West Brom Monday night (see above preview) are 8/13 (general). It is Sunderland who are the big movers in the relegation market dropping down to 10/1 (Totesport/betfred/BetVictor) following a home defeat to Aston Villa while in the next manager to go market Martin O’Neill is now 20/1 with Skybet and BetVictor.

BEST OF THE BETS

GOLD: Southampton to score a goal before the 65th minute v West Brom, 5/6 (bet365)
SILVER: James Morison to score against Southampton, 12/1 first (Coral) or 5/1 anytime (Coral)
BRONZE: Zoltan Gera to score against Southampton, 12/1 first (ladbrokes) or 4/1 anytime (ladbrokes)

Go To bet365

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05/11/2012     © Frixo 2024