Premier League betting preview : Everton-Southampton

football betting tips -

I think I am previewing nine events for newsletter subscribers today, I say "think" as I am still fine tuning the follow up email, there were six match previews in the first, one of which you can read below and it is looking like three in the second, but that can always change at the last minute.

Premier League : Everton-Southampton

I am keen on Saints today at the odds offered, we last discussed them a fortnight ago, ahead of their last trip North, when they took a point off in form Newcastle United .... I have to admit to being very impressed with Saints in their 1-1 draw with Manchester City last weekend, it was their third tough start inside six days against very strong opposition and short of options ,you feared for them after the first ten ninutes when they fell one behind and it could easily have been three.  However ,once they regrouped and got a toehold in the game it was largely one way traffic and a point was the very least they deserved. They were first to most of the balls in midfield and just looked a step ahead of City, who boosted the formline with a win in Munich in midweek.

Southampton will have enjoyed a free midweek to recharge batteries and travel North to meet an inform opponent in good heart,coach Mauricio Pochettino said“It’s going to be a very important game.“We’re away from home against a team that has been doing very well of late, so it’s going to be very tough – but our main focus is to get the three points.“Ending our run of bad results was psychologically important for the team, and we’ve trained well this week. Team news wise it is pretty much the same for the visitors, but if they play as well as last week, they should come away with a result. United have won five of their last six, but a shortage of goals remains a problem and they have only scored 25 times in their last 24 EPL starts, this is a bigger concern today with the suspension of Yohan Cabaye (13-3-3) who is the focus of so much of what the Magpies do and a real dynamo in midfield.  He has missed 14 matches in the last two seasons, through which United are 2-2-10 ( !!), with the two wins coming against relegated teams (Wigan and QPR). Impossible to see this as other than a massive loss and I favour Saints with the draw no bet option.

That ended 1-1, United were well on top early, but the visitors grew into the game and looked the more likely winner after drawing level.They were quicker out of the blocks on their next road trip, a 3-0 win at Cardiff City with all three goals coming inside 28 minutes. That got them firmly back on track and they will arrive here in confident mood and they should be well suited by the quick turnaround of matches over the holiday period, we saw how much energy they displayed against Manchester City in a third start in six days and that was down to the high fitness levels originally introduced into the club by Nigel Adkins and carried on by the current regime.They have a striker in Jay Rodriguez at the very top of his game with eight goals in 12 starts and another in Rickie Lambert (18-6-5) with two in two and fired up by returning to the city of his birth, where they have already won this season and they could be facing the Toffees at the perfect time.

Everton have impressed everyone this season, but what they are still lacking is strength in depth and missing several key players and coming off a game three days ago, in which they played 70 minutes with ten men, that could be key. They put incredible effort into trying to get back into that game and it will have taken far more out of them than Saints "easy" win in South Wales, where they could turn off the gas after the break and the failure to convert any of the many chances that Everton created and a first home loss of the season, will have left further mental scars. Defensively, the hosts will miss keeper Tim Howard (16 goals conceded in 18 starts) and midfielder Gareth Barry (14-1-3..... Everton's only previous loss came in the only match he missed since signing on loan) with both suspended. They remain without Leighton Baines (12-2-0.... but have taken four points from trips to the Emirates and Old Trafford in his absence) and young winger Gerard Deulofeu (12-2-1 .... but just one start) on loan from Barcelona is out with a hamstring injury and with long term injuries to Arouna Kone and Darron Gibson, the options available to boss Roberto Martinez are starting to look limited.The goals for top scorer Romelu Lukaku (16-8-4) have suddenly dried up , with none in five starts and Saints look good here with the handicap start. 1.5 units Southampton +0.5 ball 2.05 asian line/Ibramarket. Edit: Baines might be available to play some part.
 

Good Luck.

 
 
Country: 
Sport: 
Football Teams: 

Don't be selfish, share the betting tips