Football
EPL Manchester United vs Southampton Preview: Tips, Odds, and Prediction
With excitement building and anticipation growing ahead of kickoff, Premier League betting fans are already diving into the odds and assessing both teams, hoping to find the best value. For a detailed, in-depth look at the match, be sure to check out our full preview.
Amad Diallo and Lesley Ugochukwu//Getty Images
Ruben Amorim’s Manchester United welcomes Ivan Juric’s struggling Southampton side to the Theatre of Dreams, Old Trafford, on a Thursday night, January 16th.
At the time of writing, neither team have won any of their last five fixtures. 13th-placed United have let in 14 in their last six, and Southampton have conceded 15, which includes two 5-0 defeats, placing them rock bottom of the table.
English football giants, Manchester United, have won 69 games to Southampton’s 28 over their storied history, which dates back to 1897 when they were originally founded as Newton Heath.
United have won 30 Premier League matches against Southampton, who have only won seven back. Just less than four years ago, Man United recorded their joint-biggest Premier League win, thrashing Southampton 9-0 in February 2021. It’s now been nine years since Southampton have defeated Manchester United in the Premier League.
Neither team can boast good form, but Manchester United are one of the most successful clubs in English football history with 20 top-flight titles, including 13 Premier League trophies.
Southampton are scrapping for survival, and relegation teams are well known for having the dog in them, but with just one win in 20 games and 44 goals against, it’s going to be a hard task for the underdogs in such a hostile stadium, 200 miles from home. Let’s take a further look into this match preview, with betting odds and predictions below.
Pre-Game Odds and Win Probability
Manchester United Clear Favourites
Home: 31/100 (1.31) – 76,3%
Draw: 24/5 (5.8) – 17,2%
Away: 8/1 (9.0) – 11,1%
*Odds courtesy of Betway, subject to change*
Head-to-Head Record
Last Five Meetings
14/09/24: Southampton 0-3 Manchester United
12/03/23: Manchester United 0-0 Southampton
27/08/22: Southampton 0-1 Manchester United
12/02/22: Manchester United 1-1 Southampton
22/08/21: Southampton 1-1 Manchester United
Manchester United: Current Form – DLLLLW
One of the most accomplished clubs in English football are not experiencing their usual success this season, with more losses than wins so far. They also have a minus-5 goal difference after only scoring 23 in 20 – only four other teams in the league have scored less.
Despite being able to defeat Manchester City away from home in their fierce rivalry, they have sustained losses to Bournemouth, Spurs, Nottingham Forest, West Ham, Wolves, Newcastle and Brighton, amongst others.
Top-of-the-table team, Liverpool, have secured double the points than United, with a game in hand. However, they were able to hold Liverpool to a draw away from home on January 5, a great result to kickstart the New Year with, which was much needed after ending last year with four straight losses, conceding 11 goals and failing to score in any of their last three Premier League matches. They had a golden opportunity to take all three points against Liverpool but for Harry Maguire’s last-gasp shot sailing over the bar.
Their performance against Liverpool was the best they’ve played under Ruben Amorim, so could this be the turning point in their season? Only another decent showing and, ultimately, a win against Southampton can answer that question.
Key Players To Watch
- Bruno Fernandes – 30 years old from Portugal, Fernandes has scored six goals from all competitions so far this season so far, with five assists.
- Manuel Ugarte – The Uruguay international was instrumental in United’s 2-2 draw with Liverpool winning three tackles and completing an 88% pass ratio. The 23-year-old midfielder joined from PSG in August 2024, for a reported fee that could rise to £50 million.
- Lisandro Martinez – United’s solid centre-back is known as ‘The Butcher’ for his aggressive style of play. The 26-year-old stalwart is a World Cup winner and a two-time Copa America champion.
Manchester United Team News
Manchester United are reportedly interested in Matheus Cunha, but it’s rumoured he is ready to sign a new contract for Wolves.
They have also shown an interest in loaning Douglas Luiz from Juventus.
Both Manchester United and local rivals City are battling for Braga defender Sikou Niakate’s signature.
Southampton: Current Form – LLLDLL
Just one win all season has all but secured Southampton’s fate already this season. Promoted via the Championship play-offs, the Saints haven’t won since November 2nd when they beat Everton 1-0 at home.
The Hampshire outfit have scored just 12 goals in 20 games and conceded the most in the league (joined with Leicester) with 44 goals against.
Their 5-0 drumming at the hands of Brentford in their last match, is now officially the worst start to a Premier League season ever. In 2006, Sunderland only managed six points at this stage as well, but with a healthier goal difference of -23 to Southampton’s -32.
The bottom three – Ipswich, Leicester, Southampton – currently have the exact same amount of points as Luton, Burnley and Sheffield United had at this time last year, who ended up being the worst promoted trio in Premier League history.
It’s not looking good for the Saints, who would need nothing short of a miracle to escape relegation back down to the Championship, which is something their fans already consider a certainty.
Key Players To Watch
- Kyle Walker-Peters – Full-back Walker-Peters, 27 from London, has played over 175 games for the Saints since joining from Tottenham in 2020 for a reported fee of £12 million after a season’s loan spell. An established Premier League player, Kyle has assisted two goals in the league this season so far.
- Adam Armstrong – Striker Adam Armstrong, 26 from Newcastle, has scored three goals in 19 appearances so far this season, plus two assists.
- Adam Lallana – Former Liverpool player, Lallana, joined Southampton from Brighton in June 2024 on a one-year contract at the age of 36. Having started his career at St. Mary’s, he has come back to his club 10 years after leaving.
Southampton Team News
Brazilian left-back Wellington, 23 years old, has signed for the Saints and will wear the no.34 shirt. The youngster signed in July but now officially joins after the end of Sao Paolo’s league campaign and contract expiry.
Two new coaches, Matteo Paro and Stjepan Ostojic, have now begun work with the squad at the Staplewood Campus.
Predicted Line-Ups
Manchester United: 3-4-2-1
Onana; de Ligt, Maguire, Martinez; Mazraoui, Ugarte, Mainoo, Dalot; Diallo, Fernandes; Hojlund.
Southampton: 3-4-3
Ramsdale; Harwood-Bellis, Bednarek, Wood; Bree, Ugochukwu, Aribo, Walker-Peters; Dibling, Armstrong, Sulemana.
Suggested Bets
If you love betting on football, here are some bets you can place at some of the popular sportsbooks.
Match Winner & One Team to Score: Manchester United to win and only one team to score could be worth a punt. (107/100 with Betway)
Correct Score: The odds for Manchester United to win 3-0 looks attractive. (38/5 with Betway) (17/2 with 1Win)
1st Half Total Goals Over 2.5: For over 2.5 goals to be scored in the first half has very good odds. (39/10 with Betway)
Value Bets
Bruno Fernandes – Anytime Goalscorer: Always involved in the goals, Pedro to score is always worth a punt. (7/4 with 1Win)
Correct Score: Manchester United to go one better than their last win over Southampton at 4-0 looks attractive. (40/1 with 1Win)
First Team to Score – Southampton: A surprise goal from the visitors has high odds. (83/25 with 1Win)
Prediction: Manchester United to Win
The hosts, Manchester United, have already won 3-0 against Southampton earlier this season, away from home. With the home advantage this time and over 70,000 fans roaring them on, it’s highly likely The Red Devils could repeat this feat.
The coastal club were all at sea in their 5-0 defeat at home to Brentford, their slack defence sliced open as easy as anything all game long. There’s also a lack of urgency and desire from their players, which is frustrating their fans in the stand.
If Manchester United can perform like they did against Liverpool, then they should be the clear winners on the day. Manchester United to win 3-0 or higher.
Tim has over 27 years experience within the sports industry, working for football clubs Arsenal FC and Millwall FC, and boxing news websites British Boxing News, Boxing Social and Global Boxing News. His boxing articles have been published in Boxing News Magazine, national newspapers, plus many other major news outlets.
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