SOUTHAMPTON have got to improve massively on their midweek Europa League performance if they are to have any chance of a win when former manager Ronald Koeman returns to St Mary’s on Sunday with Everton.
The Saints were woeful in Prague on Thursday night in their 1-0 Europa League defeat against Sparta and if they perform anywhere like that again, it will be a long afternoon for the home side.
The bookies make Southampton a very short 2.20 favourite for the win which is available with most firms and although they are expected to make wholesale changes from the European defeat, that is still a price that does nothing for me.
After a decent little run of form Claude Puel’s side have now failed to win in their last four Premier League fixtures, and with them up against their former manager, I can’t see them winning this one either.
Acrimony surrounded Koeman’s departure in June and he did a magnificent job for Southampton – but could face a very hostile reception at the weekend.
After a bright start to life on Merseyside, the Dutchman has seen his team also struggle for consistency in recent weeks, and the Toffees’ have come unstuck recently after just one win in their last eight matches. That puts me off having a bet on them even at the tempting 3.75, despite them winning this fixture comfortably last season.
In three of their last six matches, Everton has been held to a draw, and draws have been popular on the south coast as with stalemates in four of their last 11.
We saw last week in the dire 0-0 with Liverpool when a lot of Saints’ old boys returned to St Mary’s, it’s very hard to raise your game at a former club, and the draw looks a decent bet in this one again at 3.50 with BoyleSports and Betfred.
All of those Everton draws have ended 1-1 at the final whistle. With both sides featuring strikers that are bang in form in Charlie Austin and Romelu Lukaku, I like both teams to score “yes” at 1.95 with Betfair Sportsbook in what looks likely to be another 1-1 draw, at 7.00 with William Hills, which was the scoreline when the two teams met last at Goodison Park in April.
