Southampton vs Newcastle Prediction & Betting Tips - Premier League

Prediction published on 04/11/2020, 00:18  by Steve Ashfield | Modified on 04/11/2020 at 18:05 in Premier League Predictions

Things are looking up for Southampton after their early season struggles and they will have a chance to go top when they host Newcastle United in the eighth week of action in the Premier League. Going to this game, the two sides are separated by two points; Southampton on 13 and in fifth position while Newcastle have 11 points and are 11th in the standings. Southampton’s opening three matches this season all ended in losses – two in the league and one in the Carabao Cup. However, after their 5-2 loss to Tottenham in mid September, they haven’t lost in the five matches that have followed. They have won four and drew one, and scored two or more in the last four matches while they have three clean sheets in their last five matches. However, even with the clean sheets, we can’t say they have been entirely comfortable in defence; in the two matches they haven’t kept clean sheets, they conceded six goals. In their last match, against Aston Villa, they led 4-0 at the hour mark but that ended 4-3, with Villa scoring two goals in the 90th minute. Earlier, they battled to a 3-3 draw with Chelsea and though their fight at Stamford Bridge was impressive, their defence wasn’t. They have however been great in attack, scoring in each of the last six matches, and twice or more in five of the six games. One major worry however, will be in Danny Ings’ injury scare. The team’s lead scorer was substituted late after scoring against Villa, with a suspected knee injury and is expected to be out for six games. We don’t expect the Sainst to struggle a lot. Ings didn’t score against West Brom and Everton, matches that Southampton won, and by the time he scored against Villa, they were already leading 3-0. It shows they can find their way even without Ings on the score sheet. One man who will be key in the Newcastle game is James Ward Prowse, the architect in Villa’s downfall and with three goals in the last two matches.

Last season, Southampton managed just six home wins in the league; they can change that this season, and out of three matches, they have already won two. Newcastle United, on the other hand, have also been on a good run lately. After their defeat at home to Manchester United, they have drawn one and won one. Their most recent outing was a 2-1 win over Everton but one concern for the team will be the few clean sheets they keep. While they have been consistent in scoring, netting in nine of their 10 matches this season, Newcastle have no clean sheet in their last six matches, and have only three in the 10 played. Their only clean sheet in the league came on the opening weekend, as they beat West Ham United 2-0. They have no loss in the three away matches they have played this season; in their last two, they came from down with late goals to secure a point apiece, after their 2-0 win at West Ham. One aspect about Newcastle United is that they are not very productive in the first half. They have led just once in the opening half in their seven league games and they face a Southampton side that has led at half time in four of their last five league matches. In three of their last four matches also, Southampton have scored in the second half, and in the process strengthening their position to bag points.