It’s been a rough last few seasons for Southampton. The Saints made it back to the Premier League in 2012, and their young players immediately made them one of the most competitive teams outside the Big Six. Current stars like Dejan Lovren, Luke Shaw, Dusan Tadic, Toby Alderweireld, and Sadio Mane first cut their teeth with the Saints, but Southampton eventually sold all those players to larger clubs, and they have been treading water since those moves.
The Saints just barely avoided relegation in 2017-18, rallying to finish 17th, and they followed that up with a 16th place finish last year. Southampton is currently in the relegation zone, but they are level on points with Aston Villa and within three points of four other teams. However, they are likely to lose any ties after a 9-0 home loss to Leicester City ruined their goal differential. They would love to get all three points against West Ham United this week to buoy their chances.
Don't miss the English Premier League action from St. Mary’s Stadium in Southampton, England at 12:30 p.m. ET on Saturday, December 14, 2019. Catch every moment of the match live on NBC.
EPL Betting Odds at BookMaker.eu
Southampton -111
West Ham United +281
Draw +282
Over/Under 3
Odds Analysis
West Ham have had an interesting season. They are one point clear of the drop with a 4-4-8 record, but their four wins have come against very different teams. Two of their early season wins were against the worst two teams in the Premier League in Norwich City and Watford, but their most recent victories have been against Manchester United and Chelsea.
The Hammers are happy to be playing a similar opponent after a brutal four game stretch that saw West Ham take on Tottenham Hotspur, Chelsea, Wolves, and Arsenal. West Ham earned points in just one of those four games, but they are hoping to do more against Southampton this Saturday.
After a dismal start to the season, the Saints have come alive since the last international break. Southampton have earned results in three of their last four games, picking up seven of their 15 points on the season over that stretch.
They were unfortunate to miss out on three points on the road against Arsenal as a Gunners goal six minutes into extra time salvaged a draw for the hosts. However, they followed that up with 2-1 victories over Watford and Norwich City, and they were up 1-0 on Newcastle United before losing the lead late last weekend.
Key Injuries
Goalkeeper Lukasz Fabianski is out for a little while longer for West Ham, and Manuel Lanzini is expected to miss two more weeks due to a shoulder problem. Jack Wilshere is out for an undetermined amount of time, and Winston Reid is questionable. However, Andriy Yarmolenko and Aaron Creswell are both likely to play.
Yan Velery is going to miss this weekend’s match due to a viral infection, and Sofiane Boufal is questionable because of a toe injury. Stuart Armstrong is expected to be available after suffering a hamstring injury two weeks ago though.
Player to Watch
Danny Ings has been the saving grace for Southampton this year. Half of the Saints’ nine goals have come from Ings, and the star forward is likely to be the reason the club escapes regulation if they do pull themselves out of the drop zone. Ings has netted in five straight games to give this team a spark.
Prop Bet – Over 2.5 Goals and Both Teams to Score -123
The Saints have allowed more goals than any other team in the Premier League, so West Ham is likely to find the back of the net at least once. Ings is on a tear, so I expect him to score, making this a very nice bet.
Free Soccer Betting Pick
Southampton is the right side here. The Saints have been in better form, and they are at home against a West Ham side missing Fabianski.
English Premier League Odds: Southampton 2, West Ham United 1
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