English Other
2011-09-21 - Southampton vs Preston
A Sports Betting Pick by Auls
Football : English Carling Cup
Wednesday 21 September 2011 - Kickoff 7:45pm
Southampton
Southampton have made their best start to a League season in an incredible 103 years as they look like the real deal in the Championship and a definite contender for promotion to the Premier League, even at this early stage of the season. Now they focus on making it through to the 4th Round of the Carling Cup.
The Saints are top of the Championship having won 6 of their 7 League games this season and only being beaten once, that coming at Leicester City. They have won all 4 games at St Mary's, scoring 11 goals and conceding 4 in front of their own fans.
Those 4 wins at home means Southampton have won their last 13 home games in all competitions stretching back to last season. They have played 5 home games this season in all competitions and have scored 3 goals or more in 4 of those games.
Southampton beat Torquay United in the 1st Round of the Carling Cup and followed that up with a win at Swindon.
Nigel Adkins has played a strong team in the first 2 Rounds of the competition this season so it would be a surprise if he changes tact with a chance to move on and get one of the big teams in the next Round. Dan Harding is missing, while Danny Fox is cup-tied.
Preston
Preston, like Southampton, have made a decent start to their new life in League One as Phil Brown looks to bring the team back to the Championship. They will be looking to continue some good form of late in a tough environment on Wednesday night.
The team are up to 6th in League One having compiled a 5-1-1 record, which leaves them only 4 points behind Charlton in 1st place and also with an extra game in hand. Preston are 2-1-0 away from Deepdale in the League, scoring 6 goals and conceding 2.
Preston have won 6 games in a row in all competitions since drawing 1-1 at Colchester United. They have won 3 games in a row away from home, including their last 2 back to back and they have scored 2 goals or more in those games.
They have beaten Crewe Alexander in the 1st Round and they beat Charlton away from home in the 2nd Round.
There has been plenty of talk that Phil Brown is expected to make a number of changes to the team that beat Brentford 1-3 at the weekend.
Head to Head
These two teams last met in the 2008/09 season, with Southampton winning both games including a 3-1 win at home.
Prediction
It is interesting to hear the suggestions that Phil Brown will make changes to his side and I think Southampton are taking this game a little more seriously from all I have read.
The Saints are incredibly tough to beat at home since Nigel Adkins took over and I think they will be too good for Preston as I am expecting them to play a strong side.
Keep stakes to a minimum with this being the Carling Cup, but I will back the Saints to come out on top on the Asian Handicap.
The Pick :
Southampton 3-0 Preston
