Espanyol vs Real Sociedad prediction: SPAIN: LaLiga betting tips on match 2023-02-12 20:00.
Two clubs to have collected just one point from their last two La Liga (LL) outings will now meet in a clash that could be crucial to their respective aspirations at opposite ends of the table. After a 1-1 result at home to Osasuna, Espanyol manager Diego Martinez declared his side “deserved the three points” due to their collective committed effort, but were instead left to rue a draw that has them starting this round just two points above the relegation zone.
That game was a continuation of Espanyol’s inability to establish crucial leads, something that stalled the progress they made in January by beating Getafe (2-1) and Betis (1-0) in successive weeks. Espanyol have now scored the equal-fewest opening goals (five; W4, D1) of all teams after 20 LL rounds, and their dogged and determined but winless (D8, L7) record when conceding the opener in the other 15 matches illustrates just how important better starts could be.
Despite losing 1-0 to a relegation-threatened Valladolid for a second time this LL season, Real Sociedad can count on being a top-four club for at least another week thanks to the dual five-game winning streaks they crafted earlier in the campaign. Although missing no fewer than ten first-team players through injury last round, manager Imanol Alguacil offered “zero excuses” and instead pointed to their profligacy in front of goal.
Indeed, despite having the equal second most shots on target this LL season after 20 rounds (5.15 on average per game), Sociedad still lag behind Europe-chasing rivals like AtlĂ©tico Madrid and Athletic Bilbao for goals scored (1.4 on average per game). But with 57% of their LL goals scored and just 42% of goals conceded coming away from home, they should be confident of taking points at Espanyol’s RCDE Stadium – even after losing in three of their last four visits (W1)!
Players to watch: After scoring three of their last five LL goals at home, Martin Brathwaite is Espanyol’s star performer at RCDE Stadium. Alexander Sørloth appears to be Sociedad’s most likely candidate to outshine Brathwaite, with goals in four of Sociedad’s last seven LL away games (three of them in the opening 20 minutes!).
Hot stat: All but two of the last 11 LL H2Hs were drawn or decided by a one-goal margin.