West Brom vs Southampton prediction: ENGLAND: Championship betting tips on match 2024-02-15 20:00.
A routine 2-0 triumph against Cardiff at The Hawthorns in midweek extended West Brom’s impressive run to five wins in eight league games (D1, L2). Not only that, it saw them record a fifth straight home victory and ensured the Baggies would remain the chased rather than the chasers in the race for the Championship play-offs.
Sitting in fifth, but by no means comfortably, home is very much where the heart is for West Brom. Their 36-point Hawthorns haul to date is the Championship’s third-highest home points tally this season, behind only the top two in Leeds and Leicester. In fact, Albion’s reliance on home form is only outweighed by that of Plymouth, with Carlos Corberán’s side averaging 2.25 points per game at home as opposed to a measly 1.07 away.
Friday night’s opponents Southampton have proved a thorn in their side in recent years, winning three of their last five away H2Hs against Albion across all competitions (D1, L1), and seven of the last ten overall (D1, L2). Russell Martin’s side won the reverse fixture back in November amidst a run of club record run of 25 games unbeaten, though that streak did end in midweek with a 3-1 defeat at Bristol City.
Uncharacteristically, the Saints conceded first at Ashton Gate. They’ve been the first to hit the back of the net in 24 of their 31 Championship games so far this season, including in 13 of their 16 away league fixtures. It’s perhaps unsurprising then that Southampton boast the joint second-highest away points tally in the division, so boss Martin will be hopeful of an instant response to that midweek defeat.
Players to watch: In both home league games since his mid-January arrival, Andreas Weimann has come off the bench to net, with both of those goals coming in the final ten minutes. Seven of Adam Armstrong’s 16 league goals so far this season have been the closing goal of the game, including his winner in the reverse fixture.
Hot stat: Eight of the last ten H2Hs between West Brom and Southampton have ended with an odd number of goals.