This may not be the best game to watch on Saturday, but it should still be very competitive, with two solid looking Premier League teams going head to head. Both teams start off each game by making it very difficult for themselves to get beat, and that can often result in quite defensive games, which means this is unlikely to be a classic. However, both are very effective doing this and will continue to do so no doubt. In 10 league games so far, Burnley have scored nine and conceded nine, while Southampton have also scored nine but conceded 10. That just shows how close and tight this game is going to be, I don’t expect to see many chances, and I certainly don’t expect to see many goals in the game.
Premier League – St. Mary’s Stadium – Saturday 4th November – 15:00 UK Time
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Draw Best Odd of: 14/5 at Betfair |
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Southampton
BurnleySouthampton Form
Southampton are in 10th position at the moment, and that appears to be about right for them looking at the squad they have and how they have played so far. Depending on how you look at their form will depend on your opinion about them. On the positive side, they are unbeaten in their last three games, and have lost just three of their 10 games overall. However, if you want to find a negative then they have won just one of their last five, and won just three from 10 overall. Keeping things tight is clearly their plan going forward, but it has also prevented them being able to express themselves in the right way going forward.
Nine goals from ten games is not good enough, and it is only their fantastic defensive record that has kept them in the top half of the Premier League table. What Southampton need to do to enhance their position in the top half of the table is to improve their scoring chances, without making any changes to their defensive setup. That mean looking at their strikers and getting more out of them, do that and Southampton look set to go on and have a successful season.
Burnley Form
Burnley have been a surprise package yet again so far this season and they currently sit 7th in the Premier League after their 1-0 victory against Newcastle on Monday night. They have lost just one of their last five and continue to put together wins and draws to pick up points, while ever they continue to do that, relegation looks a long way off, despite people tipping that in the summer. Similar to Southampton, if Burnley are to kick on to the next level they could do with finding a way to score more goals, without neglecting their current defensive responsibilities. However, with things going so well for them so far, they may just concentrate on playing in exactly the same way as they are now, and see where that takes them.
Having lost just two of their first ten games, Burnley are in a great position right now and the pressure is certainly off them for the time being. I expect to see them continue to play in the same way, and as long as that method brings them success, there is no reason for them to change.
Team News
Southampton are in need of more goals if they are to stay in their current Premier League position, and those goals are going to have to come from their strikers, Charlie Austin and Shane Long. Both know this league and know what it takes to score in it, they have to do better. Burnley won on Monday night without Sam Vokes and Chris Wood, their two top strikers. It will be interesting to see if either can make the first team this weekend, they are crucial to Burnley’s goal scoring capabilities.
Top Betting Tips
Two teams who set up looking to defend well first meet each other and that means only one thing to me from a betting perspective, and that is to back the draw. The draw is priced at 14/5 with Betfair, a very fair price and it is a result that both teams will be happy to settle for, especially Burnley. If there is 20 minutes to go in the game and Burnley have a point at that stage, don’t expect them to do anything to try and win the game, they will settle for a point. This game is likely to be very tight, with few scoring chances and a draw seems to be the most likely outcome, and it is a good price at 14/5.