Football
Southampton vs Brentford Preview: Tips, Odds and Predictions
Venue: St Mary’s Stadium Time: 4pm Perennial strugglers Southampton host Brentford on Saturday, January 4th in a game they will be looking to get a result from. SportsBoom previews this encounter as Premier League betting fans look forward to the best tips, odds and predictions. Have a look at our in-depth preview of this match.
Brentford FC v Southampton FC - Premier League//Getty Images
Southampton vs Brentford: Both Teams Need a Good Result
Brentford travel to St Mary’s Stadium with only one win in their last five games but have dominated this fixture and will look to do so once more on Saturday afternoon. The first round of this fixture earlier on this season was a 3-1 win for Southampton’s visitors with Bryan Mbeumo netting a brace.
The hosts, on the other hand, remain winless despite hiring new manager Ivan Juric. They lost 2-1 away out at Crystal Palace the last time out and will be in desperate need of some points if they are to escape relegation into the Championship League after just one season back in topflight football.
Pre-Game Odds and Win Probability: No Clear Favourite in This Contest
Home 33/20 (2.65) 37.7%
Draw 49/20 (3.45) 29%
Away 31/20 (2.55) 39.2%
*Odds courtesy of BC.Game, subject to change
Head-to-Head record
The dominant team in this fixture has been Brentford as they have beaten their hosts in four consecutive games with very convincing scores. It will be difficult for Southampton to overturn this run simply based of the mental edge their opponents have and their current form.
Last 5 Meetings
31/08/24 Brentford 3 Southampton 1
15/03/23 Southampton 0 Brentford 2
04/02/23 Brentford 3 Southampton 0
07/05/22 Brentford 3 Southampton 0
11/01/22 Southampton 4 Brentford 1
Southampton Current Form – LLDLL
Ivan Juric inherited an ailing team and continued were they left off last time with a 2-1 loss at Palace. Positives can be picked up from that loss though, with the Saints scoring first in the first half through Tyler Dibbling. This was their first goal in the Premier League since their 5-1 loss to Chelsea on December 15th and they have only picked up one point in their last five games.
Jan Bednarek of Southampton looks dejected//Getty Images
Key Players to Watch
- Tyler Dibbling: Having scored the last time out, the teenager’s confidence will be boosted, and the likelihood of producing similar performances is very high. He’s one to look out for coming into this one for his team.
- Jan Bednarek: Defence is something they have to shore up to see any improvement in their fortunes. Last time out, despite the loss, Jan Bednarek was a standout performer at the back. He will be important for the home team against a team that has the ability to score freely.
- Aaron Ramsdale: Further stressing the importance of defence, as the last line of defence at the back, Aaron Ramsdale’s performances on the day will be key if he’s got sufficient support from his backline. Despite his team’s struggles, his quality has never been in question.
Southampton News
Several players will be fit on time after recovering from niggling knocks. Jack Stephens and William Smallbone are likely to be available, while Ross Stewart is only expected to return on January 20th.
Brentford Current Form – DLLWL
A poor defence has been their kryptonite this season and if it were solid they would probably be higher up the table. At the time of writing, Brentford have an equal number goals scored as they have those conceded at thirty-two. Their 0-0 draw against Brighton is probably an indicator of the coach trying to marshal his defence properly having conceded nine goals in their last five outings.
Key Players to Watch
- Nathan Michael Collins: Collins had a good game in their 0-0 draw against Brighton, leading the defence resolutely, helping his team get a much needed clean sheet after several games without doing so.
- Kevin Schade: Playing on the left side of their 4-3-3 formation, Kevin Schade will be important for his team with his pacey runs and ability to dribble past opponents.
- Cristian Norgaard: The big Danish midfielder will boss Southampton’s midfield and thwart out most of their attempts at attacking the final third. Like Collins, he also had a good run against Brighton and here too will he look to perform similarly.
Brentford News
Ben Mee and goalkeeper Mark Flekken were substituted off injured against Brighton and will probably make it back on time. Several other players are still out, but Brentford have a big enough squad to make up for the casualties.
Predicted Line-ups
Southampton: 3-4-2-1
Ramsdale, Wood, Bednarek, Harwood, Walker-Peters, Downes, Ugochukwu, Bree, Fernandes, Dibling, Armstrong
Brentford: 4-3-3
Flekken, Rasmussen, Collins, Mee, Lewis-Potter, Janelt, Norgaard, Damsgaard, Mbuemo, Wissa, Schade
Suggested Bets
Have a look at our suggested bets below, these are very likely to happen and are safer just in case you don’t have a penchant for higher odds.
Total Goals – Over 2.5: Following their 5-0 thrashing at the hands of Liverpool, Southampton sort of halted the number of goals conceded in the subsequent matches. However, with 37 goals conceded overall it will be difficult to keep out a free scoring Brentford team that has defensive frailties of their own. Our prediction is more than two goals in this match, very likely to happen. (67/100 with Bettilt)
Draw No bet – Brentford: We tip the visitors to win, but with a new coach, some sort of rejuvenation might be on the horizon for the home team. Should the latter be able to force a force draw, your bet will be safe. (83/100 with Bettilt)
Brentford Total – Over 1.5: In the last four out of five encounters between these two sides, the Bees scored more than two goals against their opponents. Scores of 3-1, 2-0, 3-0 and 3-0 once more, were recorded and we believe this to be an overall indication of their dominance in this fixture. A very possible bet, especially analyzed in the historical context. (21/20 with Bettilt)
Value Bets
Maximize your returns with our properly selected value bets. What you get here is higher odds that give you a better chance of winning by just betting on one market with higher stakes.
Result and Total – Brentford and Over 2.5: Four of the last five head-to-head encounters between these two teams have all been Brentford wins with more than two goals. A repeat result is possible considering Southampton’s struggles, with their visitors also looking to bounce back after a frustrating 0-0 draw last time out against Brighton. (5/2 with PinUp)
Team 2 Winning Margin 1 Goal – Yes: Having not beaten their opponents in the last four games, we do not see a shock result in this game and the visitors will win it by at least one goal if their hosts make it difficult for them. (17/5 with PinUp)
Half Time/Full Time: Draw/Away – Yes: In their last three outings, the home team drew the first halves and because of their struggles, we foresee them being very defensive in the first half with the possibility of forcing a draw at the interval. But true to the nature of struggling teams at the bottom, they will bottle their hold on the game and lose in the second half. (26/5 with PinUp)
Prediction: Brentford Win/Draw and Over 1.5
Our prediction is a double chance Brentford win/draw and over 1.5. We do not tip Southampton for a win in this game considering the overall dominance their opponents have over them in recent years. There will be more than one goal as well looking at the defensive records of both teams and the odds offered for this prediction are very good. (31/50 with Betway)
Based in Johannesburg, South Africa, Jimmy holds a Diploma in Journalism and Media Studies. He’s a passionate sports enthusiast with broad knowledge across various disciplines.
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