Southampton v West Bromwich Albion Betting: Baggies to avoid defeat in Hampshire

Two teams in desperate need of a positive result go head-to-head in Hampshire on Saturday evening as Southampton play host to West Bromwich Albion in the Premier League.

The Saints showed spirit last weekend as they twice came from behind to claim a share of the spoils against Newcastle United at St Mary’s, but Mauricio Pellegrino’s team have won just one of their last seven matches in all competitions and, as such, the hosts will be hopeful of a return to winning ways on this occasion.

Southampton are chalked up as bet365’s 5/6 (1.83) favourites to achieve that objective, while the same firm go 100/30 (4.33) that it is the visitors who pick up all three points from this match; the odds compilers offer 5/2 (3.50) that these two teams are forced to settle for a share of the spoils.

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West Brom started the season superbly, taking full points from their opening two Premier League matches, but Tony Pulis’ team have failed to win any of their subsequent six fixtures in the top flight, with the Baggies denied a win against Leicester City on Monday night by Riyad Mahrez’s late leveller for the Foxes.

Between them, these two teams have scored just 14 Premier League goals in 16 top flight matches so far this season and, as such, a tight tussle seems likely when these two teams lock horns.

It is worth noting that there have been goals scored at both ends in just one of the last 10 matches between these teams, and bet365 go 4/6 (1.67) that either team fails to find the net here, while the same firm go 4/7 (1.57) that there are fewer than three goals scored here – a selection that would have landed in six of the last eight meetings between the teams.

With both teams struggling, particularly in the final third of the pitch, bet365’s 13/8 (2.63) quote for fewer than two goals to be scored may well prove popular with punters, while the same firm go 6/4 (2.50) that the match remains goalless at the halfway stage.

Better value, though, may lie in anticipating another typically solid performance from Pulis’ well-drilled West Brom side; the Baggies have been beaten in just two of their eight Premier League matches so far this season and will likely attempt to keep things tight against struggling Southampton.

The match itself seems unlikely to be a classic, but punters could find a path to profit in backing the visitors in bet365’s double chance market at even money (2.0) ahead of Saturday’s showdown at St Mary’s.