Premier League preview and odds: Southampton vs Watford

Published on: 10/01/2016

Premier League preview and odds: Southampton vs Watford

January 13, 2016 19:45pm - St Marys Stadium

Premier League

Southampton will be hoping to put the brakes on their alarming slide down the Premier League table on Wednesday night when they host a Watford side in the middle of their own mini-slump.

No easy fix for Saints

With six defeats in their last eight Premier League games, Southampton are in a bit of a crisis. With the exception of an impeccable 4-0 win at home to league leaders Arsenal, the Saints have had little to cheer about in recent weeks.

After losing just two of their first 12 games this term, the South Coast club looked to be on course for a top six finish before the rot started to set in. Back-to-back defeats to Stoke and Man City in the league followed by a League Cup drubbing at the hands of Liverpool, sent the team on a downward spiral from which they have yet to recover.

In their last game, they were defeated by a single goal away to Premier League new boys Norwich City.

Watford undone twice by top four opponents

Watford have now been beaten by all of the top five teams in the league, but have yet to beaten by anyone outside of the top seven. Those statistics make impressive reading for a club that has only just returned to the top flight. Their inability to beat the top five is reflected in their league status with the club currently sat in ninth place, four points adrift of fifth-ranked Manchester United.

They come into this game on the back of back-to-back 2-1 home defeats to Tottenham and Manchester City. Away from home, they have lost just one of their last seven, having drawn two and won the other four.

Team news

The Saints are still without striker Graziano Pelle, midfielder Jay Rodriguez and defender Florin Grados.

Meanwhile, Quique Sanchez Flores will have to make do without the services of Joel Ekstrand.

Recent form (League)

Southampton: LLWLL

Watford: LLDWW

Betting odds and tips

Despite their recent slip-ups against two of the top four teams, Watford have an impressive away record and the luxury of an almost fully-fit squad to choose from. The Saints recent win over Arsenal stands out like an oasis in a desert of barren displays, and they have shown little other signs of recovery. They are also missing two of their key players for this clash.

The away win looks good value at 3/1 with Bet365.

By Neil Morris

Published on: 10/01/2016

Any odds displayed within this preview were correct at the time of publishing (10/01/2016 16:43:13) but are subject to change.