English Premier
2025-01-04 - Southampton vs Brentford
A Sports Betting Pick by Auls
Football: English Premier League
Saturday 4th January 2025 - Kick Off 3pm
Southampton
There have been one or two positive signs for Southampton throughout the course of this Premier League season, but too many negative moments have just held the club back. Avoiding relegation from their current position will take something of a miracle and back to back Premier League defeats under new manager Ivan Juric will have just shown the Croatian the size of the task he has taken on.
Some fans will point out that there are still 57 points for Southampton to fight for through the second half of the Premier League season, but they are bottom of the table with just 6 earned from the first 57. The Saints need to find a victory as soon as possible to just offer some hope with 10 points separating them from 17th placed Wolves. A 1-1-7 home record does not offer a lot of confidence though, especially as Southampton have scored just 7 goals in those matches.
Southampton have failed to win any of their last 10 games in all competitions and they have been beaten in 8 of those, including back to back defeats to West Ham United and Crystal Palace. Since beating Everton 1-0 at St Mary's, Southampton have lost 5 in a row at home in all competitions.
Mateus Fernandes is suspended, while Jack Stephens is hoping to shake off a knock. Flynn Downes is another hoping to pass a late fitness test.
Brentford
The injuries have really piled up at Brentford and the January transfer window is open to try and bring in some reinforcements. A bigger concern for fans is keeping hold of some of the attacking players that have inspired the strong performances in the first half of the Premier League season.
Thomas Frank will be trying to pick his players up after the New Year's Day defeat to Arsenal which has left Brentford in 12th place in the Premier League table. The Bees have a 0-2-7 away record in the top flight having scored 6 goals and conceded 16 in those matches.
Brentford have not won any of their last 5 games in all competitions and the loss to Arsenal means they have been beaten in 4 of those matches. The side did battle for a goalless draw at the Amex Stadium in their last away Premier League game, a result that has snapped Brentford's run of 3 away losses in a row prior to that.
Ben Mee and Fabio Carvalho are expected to miss out and join a number of players on the sidelines.
Head to Head
Brentford were comfortable 3-1 winners over Southampton in West London earlier this season.
Two seasons ago, Brentford won 0-2 at St Mary's and they have won 3 of their last 4 visits to Southampton.
Prediction
The first half of the Premier League season has seen both of these clubs struggle for goals when playing at home/away respectively and so there will be plenty of people ready to back the big price on there being fewer than three goals shared out.
Southampton have scored 7 home goals and Brentford have scored 6 away goals in the Premier League, but they did share four goals when these teams met in West London.
The away team head to St Mary's with a number of defenders out of action and Brentford have struggled to contain attacks.
Ivan Juric has only been in charge for a couple of games, but Southampton have created some big opportunities in those matches. That should offer the home team some encouragement, although Southampton lack players in the final third that can be trusted to score the chances that are being created.
However, they did score against Crystal Palace before the defensive vulnerabilities were once again exposed and Brentford may see attack as the best form of defence in this one.
The team might have lacked away goals, but Brentford have pace and quality in the final third and had been getting into good positions in the goalless draw at Brighton in their last away game. The side had scored in 3 away games in a row prior to that and they will certainly believe they can expose what has been a porous Southampton defence.
Brentford do have a good recent record at St Mary's, but the defensive problems makes it harder to trust them to win here again.
The edge has to be with Brentford, but Southampton have shown enough in the last couple of games to believe a positive result is incoming.
You have to believe this is a fixture in which the team that gets to two goals will win, and it is certainly one where both teams will feel they can score. Southampton and Brentford might not be the most fruitful of attacks at home/away respectively, but this has the makings of a fixture where the attacks should be on top and ultimately lead to at least three goals being shared out.
The Statistics :
| |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
The Pick :
Southampton 1-2 Brentford
FIXED ODDS BETTING TIP :
I'll back Over 2.5 Goals at 1.66 with SportBet.One
