Southampton vs Manchester Utd prediction: ENGLAND: Premier League betting tips on match 2024-09-13 11:30.
[p]Newly-promoted Southampton spent the international break licking their wounds after opening their Premier League campaign with three successive defeats. It’s the first time in 12 years that the Saints have suffered such a fate, and with criticism for their possession-based style of football already coming thick and fast, boss Russell Martin admitted in the wake of their 3-1 loss at Brentford that their play “needs to be a bit more simple”.[/p]
[p]They return from their break with another tough test on paper to contend with, as Manchester United visit St Mary’s on Saturday lunchtime. Not only have Southampton failed to win any of their last eight top-flight home matches (D2, L6) – conceding 19 goals in the process – they’ve also emerged winless from each of their last 15 meetings with the Red Devils (D8, L7), with their last home victory against United coming all the way back in August 2003 (D5, L10)![/p]
[p]That’s a record that Erik ten Hag simply cannot afford to see come to an end after overseeing a dismal start to Manchester United’s season. A single victory from four competitive matches (L3) – bookended by defeats to rivals Manchester City and most recently Liverpool – has the Dutchman under serious pressure ahead of their return to Premier League action.[/p]
[p]Perhaps encouragingly, this is the exact three-game start (D1, L2) they experienced in Ten Hag’s first season en route to a third-placed finish in the league. That may go some way to explaining his confidence that his side “will be fine” as the campaign continues to progress, but for that to ring true, United must first improve upon their wayward travelling form, as their last seven away league matches have produced just five points (W1, D2, L4).[/p]
[p]Key battle: New Southampton signing Aaron Ramsdale looks set to be one of the division’s busier goalkeepers this term. He’s well used to that against Man Utd at least, conceding 19 times across nine previous H2Hs, though he still boasts a positive win-loss record against them (W5, L4). United captain Bruno Fernandes will test his resolve – the Portugal international scored the winner on his last visit to St Mary’s, making up one of his six direct goal contributions in seven matches against the Saints (G3, A3).[/p]
[p]Hot stat: Since United’s Premier League record equalling 9-0 thrashing of Southampton back in 2021, none of the four subsequent H2Hs has seen either side score multiple goals (MU: W1, D3).[/p]
[p][i]Written by Ryan Fisher[/i][/p]