MY ACCOUNT
– Southampton have the worst home record in the top flight
– Bournemouth have won three of their last five away games
– Recommended bet: Bournemouth draw no bet
Bournemouth have enjoyed a boost to their survival hopes in recent weeks and victory in this south coast relegation scrap would virtually confirm their top-flight status.
That would be some achievement for Gary O’Neil, who made his managerial debut when taking charge of the newly promoted club in the wake of thumping defeats of 4-0, 3-0 and 9-0 in their first four matches.
The former Portsmouth player has endured plenty of stressful moments this term but it would be the cherry on the top of the cake if he was able to cement his new team’s position at the expense of Pompey’s south coast rivals, Southampton.
The Saints have suffered a nightmare campaign, with Ruben Selles the third manager to have so far failed to halt an inexorable slide towards the Championship.
Fail to win on Thursday and it would seem their 11-year stay in the top flight is all-but over.
Team news
Southampton centre-back Mohammed Salisu and full-backs Juan Larios and Tino Livramento remain unavailable through injury.
Concussion protocol will determine the availability of centre-back Jan Bednarek but striker Che Adams should return from a calf injury and midfield loanee Ainsley Maitland-Niles returns after being ineligible against parent club Arsenal.
Bournemouth travel without defender Jack Stephens – who cannot face his parent club – and injured pair Ryan Fredericks and Junior Stanislas.
Midfielder Hamed Traore is also unlikely to feature due to an ankle problem.
The stats
Bournemouth suffered a 4-0 home defeat to West Ham on Sunday but have been more productive on the road than at the Vitality Stadium.
Since mid-February, they have claimed just six points from five home matches but have taken nine points from five on the road.
Southampton have been better on the road than at St Mary’s all season. They have collected 14 points from 16 away matches and only 10 from 16 at home, losing eight of their last 10 league matches in front of their own fans.
Bournemouth have conceded more goals on the road than any other Premier League team this season and no side has conceded more goals per game at home than Southampton.
Prediction
With both teams so weak defensively, ‘over 2.5 goals’ looks a sensible addition to Bet Builders at a shade over odds-against.
And a high-scoring encounter could go Bournemouth’s way, as while they suffered a setback last weekend, the Cherries have frequently reacted positively to bad results under O’Neil.
O’Neil took charge in the wake of the 9-0 drubbing at Liverpool and led them on a six-game unbeaten run and in recent weeks they have bounced back from a last-gasp defeat at Arsenal to beat Liverpool, followed a 3-0 loss at Aston Villa with victory over Fulham and won at Leicester after a home defeat to Brighton.
Southampton will be feeling flat despite getting a point at Arsenal last time out as they squandered a 2-0 lead with the concession of a 90th-minute equaliser in their 3-3 draw.
That late heartbreak sums up the fortunes of a team who look increasingly doomed and their results against fellow strugglers since the World Cup break is a major factor in their predicament – they have lost five of seven meetings with other teams battling against the drop.
Back Bournemouth draw no bet, available at 6/5 with LiveScore Bet.
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