Southampton vs Leicester | Premier League – Matchweek 3 of 38 Betting Preview and Tips
Southampton vs Leicester – Sat 28th Aug, 15:00, St. Mary’s Stadium, Ref: Jonathan Moss
No Vardy no party? That is the question on all our minds I’m sure. Well, I guess the issue of losing Mahrez is fairly important too. Scoring 32 goals between them last season and assisting 12, they were pretty key to Leicester’s success. Can Maddison step up and fill those boots? Will Iheanacho or Okazaki step up in Vardy’s absence?
Southampton come from a close match with Everton, in which they had a number of good chances to score goals. They will take a few positives away and look for their first win of the season. In their last home match against Burnley, it was a contest of who could be the better keeper. Both McCarthy and Hart produced excellent saves to keep the game scoreless.
Danny Ings has looked the most dangerous for the Saints so far after an impressive substitute appearance in their first match, and a decent poachers goal against Everton. Southampton were rather fortunate last season to stay up with a measly 36 points, just three points clear of the drop.
They managed just 37 goals last season and only scored 20 at home. As well as only winning four games at home, just one more than their wins away. In total conceding 26 goals at home and with their signings this season, it doesn’t exactly inspire a drastic change. Vestergaard looks a good signing at the back, and of course, Danny Ings on loan could provide the goals they so lacked last season. But it will certainly be tough for the Saints.
Leicester impressed us at Old Trafford as they came close to a draw. De Gea produced superb saves to deny both James Maddison and Demarai Gray. Whilst Vardy had chances late on and finished one of them. They were more convincing against Wolves but were lucky to come away with a clean sheet. Wolves hit the post of three separate occasions (ruining my BTTS acca) in what must have been a frustrating afternoon for the players.
Wolves will feel hard done by conceding an own goal from a header by Matt Doherty and a deflected James Maddison shot to lose 2-0.
Betting Tips
Southampton have looked relatively poor in their first two games of the season. If they are to avoid defeat here, they will need to improve. Leicester may have lost to United, but they didn’t have a bad game.
The win over Wolves could have been more convincing but they proved more clinical in the end and despite being down to ten men, managed to keep a clean sheet.
Without Vardy, Leicester could struggle for goals against a quite defensive Southampton. But, there is a plus side for Leicester fans. Ihenacho loves a goal against the Saints. Scoring three in four appearances. He will be starting up-front and Maddison and Gray could link up quite well for them.
We fancy Leicester to get something from this game, against a struggling Southampton. A draw no bet at 6/5 with Paddy Power.
Steven Hubbard
22/08/2018 13:35
