Goals Guaranteed As Southampton Travel To Swansea

August Manager of the Month Garry Monk and his Swansea City side face their first real test of the season, looking to bounce back after a 4-2 away defeat at the hands of Chelsea brought their run of three consecutive wins to a drastic end. Third placed Swans are home to Southampton tomorrow (20th September) who travel to Wales on the back of a 4-0 trouncing of bottom of the table Newcastle United. A run of three games without a loss has seen Ronald Koeman`s men catapulted up to fourth.

Numerous bookmakers make City the 6/4 favourites in what is sure to be a closely fought contest. A win for the Saints is available at 11/5 with Spreadex whilst a draw can be backed at 12/5 (bet365, boylesports, ladbrokes, Skybet).

A hangover from Swansea`s clash last Saturday is the injury to centre-half Jordi Amat, a key player who has featured in all four of Swansea`s 2014-15 league games so far. The Spaniard is set to be out for six weeks after straining lateral knee ligaments in the first 45 minutes of the Swans` education at the hands of table toppers Chelsea. A John Terry own goal and a Diego Costa strike had the game tied at the end of the first half though the superior squad depth of Jose Mourinho`s men shone through as the title contenders bagged another three, with Costa completing his hat-trick before Jon-Jo Shelvey`s well-worked consolation goal.

With Amat out, £8 million Napoli signing Federico Fernandez, who replaced the 22-year-old at Stamford Bridge, is set to make his first start alongside captain Ashley Williams. The Argentine was a squad member in his country`s second place finish at the 2014 Fifa World Cup before bagging only his third international goal against World Champions Germany in a 3-0 friendly win in September.

In the only other anticipated change for the home team, Wilfried Bony is set to replace Bafetimbi Gomis. Ivory Coast star Bony was rested for last Saturday`s game against the Blues after having only just returned from international duty. The prolific striker played his part in his country`s African Cup of Nations match against Cameroon though couldn`t stop the Elephants from falling to an embarrassing 4-1 loss against their qualification rivals.

Bony, who scored 16 goals in the league last season and 25 in all competitions, is betfair`s 2/1 favourite to mark his return with a goal at any time, and is 11/2 (betfair, Betvictor, Coral, paddy Power) to be the first player to find the back of the net.

Fellow African Sadio Mane will not be available in time for the Saints despite being found eligible for a work permit. Senegalese midfielder Mane joined up with his squad for the first time today since his £11.8 million transfer from Red Bull Saltzburg and could be deemed fit to make his debut away at Arsenal in the Capital One Cup on Tuesday (23rd September).

Manager Koeman has also revealed that striker Shane Long has recovered from his head knock meaning that he has a fully fit squad to pick from ahead of Southampton`s top four clash against the Swans.

There will be no excuse for a lack of entertainment in this meeting of two bastions of attack-minded football. The anticipated appearances of three of the league`s top goal scorers so far in Southampton`s Graziano Pelle and Morgan Schneiderlin and Swansea`s Nathan Dyer, all having bagged three, means that goals should be at a premium and sportingbet and betway`s offering of 13/2 on five or more goals should be seriously considered.

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19/09/2014     © Frixo 2026