Southampton vs Fulham betting preview

Southampton Form: LWWLLW

Promoted from the Championship last season, Southampton have so far struggled with the higher standards of the Premier League. After taking just three points from their first six matches, they currently sit in 17^th position and are early season contenders to go down. Although their recent form seems fairly solid, it includes wins against lower league opposition in the shape of Stevenage and Sheffield Wednesday in the Capital One Cup so is rather deceptive in terms of Premier League performances. The only three points this season came at home with a 4-1 win against fellow relegation candidates Aston Villa and the home form of Southamton will be crucial in deciding their fate come the end of the season. Get free bets for this match here.

The main problem for Southampton so far this season has been their leakiness at the back and they are yet to keep a clean sheet this season. Scoring goals has been a little bit easier for them, largely thanks to the efforts of Ricky Lambert who is their top goal scorer having found the net on four occasions this season.  A lot of the good midfield work comes from Adam Lallana whilst record signing Gaston Ramirez also looks like a player capable of getting an assist or a goal.

Watching Southampton as a neutral this season has been rather entertaining. The games are full of goals with 5 out of the 6 games going over the 3.5 mark. The majority of goals are coming in the second forty five minutes with all but one of the matches featuring a second half with over 2.5 goals scored.

Fulham Form: LWWLLL

Fulham have started the season in their usual manner seemingly bound for mid table mediocrity once again. If they do manage to finish in the top half of the table then it must be seen as a great achievement by Martin Jol due to the high profile departures over the summer. Fulham are famed for their contrasting home and away form (as well as a bizarre tribute to Michael Jackson outside Craven Cottage) and last season only four of their fourteen wins came on the road. This form seems to be continuing this season with Fulham only managing to score in one of their away games this season, during a 2-1 victory over Wigan.

Fulham’s big name summer signing missed the defeat to Manchester City and is unlikely to feature against Southampton this weekend. This is a big blow to the Cottagers but, in Petric, Rodallaga and Ruiz, Fulham are not short in attacking threats. Petric and duff have been Fulham’s main source of goals this season having scored three apiece. All of Fulham’s goals this season have featured a healthy number of goals with the 2.5 mark being surpassed in every outing. The goals have been fairly spread out but, the second halves have seen slightly more with each going over 1.5 goals.

Betting Preview

Looking at the statistics, one thing stands out; this game should feature goals, and lots of them. With all but one of Fulham’s Premier League matches going over the 2.5 mark and all but one of Southampton’s games going over the 3.5 mark, it would be surprising to see this trend not to continue. Although Fulham have only scored in one of their three away matches this season, they will fancy their chances to get at least one goal against a Southampton team that are yet to keep a clean sheet. Similarly, Southampton and Ricky Lambert in particular will expect to get on the score-sheet and their goal scoring form this season suggests that they will. With Ricky Lambert banging them in, Gaston Ramirez and Adam Lallana would be a decent bet for an assist. In his two appearances this season, Ramirez has demonstrated his supreme ability and as a dead ball specialist, may be able to bag a goal himself.

The last competitive meeting between the two sides came all the way back in the 2004/05 season as a thrilling 3-3 draw was played out. Although nearly all the personnel of both clubs have changed since then, the stats suggest that a similar game might be played out this weekend. Much will depend on whether or not Southampton can keep tight at the back and if they can they will stand a good chance of winning. However, it’s a big ask and having conceded in all their games this season it seems unlikely. Therefore, it looks like it will end in a draw.

Highlighted Bets

Draw, 12/5 with SkyBet

Second Half Over 1.5, 4/5 with Bet365

Ramirez E/W, 9/1 for first goal with Coral 3/1 anytime

Anytime Assist, Adam Lallana, 11/4 with BoyleSports

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