Southampton vs. Cardiff – Betting Tips and Premier League Preview

Southampton probably deserved to win away at Burnley in the last round, but a late goal in the 94th minute deprived them of the three points. Even though they have achieved positive results since they changed their manager, The Saints are still only two points above Cardiff, which shows how bad they were under Mark Hughes. Still, Southampton are undefeated in their last five Premier League games and the winning here could be vital for their survival chances. Cardiff also won their last game which was against Bournemouth, but it was at home. The contrast between their performances at home and away is drastic – they have lost eight out of their last ten games away from Cardiff City Stadium, which isn’t something to brag about, especially when you are fighting for survival. Most teams in Cardiff’s position rely on winning most of their points at home, but unfortunately for The Bluebirds, they will face Southampton at St. Mary’s.

Team News

Striker Danny Ings was substituted during the first half against Burnley and he’s going to miss the game against Cardiff, so we will probably see Shane Long leading the line. In midfield things also don’t look good for The Saints. Michael Obafemi and Mario Lemina definitely won’t play, whereas Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg’s fitness status is not clear yet. That means Yan Valery who was benched in the last game will probably start if James Ward-Prowse plays as a central midfielder.

Cardiff’s squad looks pretty healthy before the visit at St Mary’s. Sean Morrison will miss out, while Victor Camarassa who didn’t play against Bournemouth after suffering a muscle injury has to undergo a fitness test before the game. However, it’s unlikely that Warnock will change the starting eleven that brought him his first win in the league this year.

Prediction

Southampton is a team that has quality and based on their players deserve to be somewhere in the middle of the table. After they appointed Ralph Hasenhüttl, The Saints started showing their true quality and haven’t lost in any of their previous five fixtures. However, they still haven’t escaped the relegation fight and are in dire need of points. Fortunately for them, Cardiff seem to play very unconvincingly away from home. Still, the Bluebirds aren’t going to go down without a fight. They have produced some stellar defensive displays this season and have it in them to surprise any team, especially because they also need points desperately. Both teams are very close to each other in the table, but we think the home side has enough quality in them to win this one.