Can Southampton Secure Three Points Against Everton?

Whilst Southampton will travel to Everton looking to cement their European football credentials, their hosts will be merely playing for pride as their own Europa League chances look slim and their chances of relegation, at this point, seem equally as unlikely.

The Goodison Park outfit currently sit in 13th place in the Premier League but will be able to move up to 11th should they manage to get the better of the Hampshire side and other results go their way. Failure to see off Southampton at home will see them liable to be superseded by West Bromwich Albion and would allow both Hull and Aston Villa to close the gap on the Merseyside club.

Contrarily, their visitors stand in sixth place, level on points with seventh placed Spurs. Whilst a defeat could see them replaced by the North London club, a victory could see them move into the Europa League position with Liverpool toughing it out against Arsenal in the early kick-off. Should other results also go their way, the Saints could end the day just another win away from once again penetrating the top four.

The two sides have met just once this season, this being in the reverse fixture at St Marys. It was the home side who ran out the winners on this occasion, Southampton securing the win by a total of three goals to nil.

Only one goal was netted in the first 45, whilst this was of course for Southampton, it was scored by Romelu Lukaku who turned the ball past his own goalkeeper. After the restart things just got worse for Roberto Martinez`s team, goals from Graziano Pelle and Maya Yoshida adding to his woes. Betvictor`s 35/1 says that Southampton will take the match by three goals to nil once again with 25/1 (boylesports) the price should you think that the first goal will be an own-goal. boylesports have the best price on Yoshida being the final goalscorer of the game, that being 50/1, whilst Pelle is available at 11/4 (ladbrokes) to hit the back of the net at any time.

Despite their initial success against the Toffees and their superior league position, Ronald Koeman`s Saints are very much the outsiders for tomorrow`s clash. Whilst 23/10 (boylesports) says that the sixth placed side will run out the victors, Everton can be backed at the best price of 9/5 (Betvictor). Alternatively, the price is 19/10 (betfred, boylesports, Totesport) should you think that the spoils will be shared.

The hosts` favouritism could have something to do with the fact that they are unbeaten in their last two Premier League games and in all of their last five top tier matches at home. From the maximum of 15 points available in their last five home games, Everton have scooped seven points with one win and four draws. Of these matches, only in their 3-0 win over Newcastle last time out was the score not goalless at half time. As a result, 17/10 (Boylesports) says that neither team will have broken the deadlock at the half way point.

Whilst Southampton are unbeaten in their last three Premier League games, they have not picked up three points in either of their last two top tier games on the road. They did, however, manage to secure an important, if not unlikely, point against league leaders Chelsea at Stamford Bridge (1-1). Only once in their last five encounters on the road have the Saints been able to hit the back of the net more than once in a match. Consequentially, 17/10 (Betvictor) says that Koeman`s men will score exactly one goal tomorrow.

Go To bet365

#Ad

03/04/2015     © Frixo 2024