England Premier League
Sunday 22nd August 2021
Kick off at 2pm BST
Venue: St Mary's Stadium
Match Preview:
Perhaps because Southampton had a poor second half to last season compared to their blistering start the pressure began to mount on manager Ralph Hasenhuttl towards the back end of last season. That pressure seems intensified already in the new Premier League campaign and the Saints started last weekend with defeat at Everton.
Travelling to Everton of course is never an easy game, but Hasenhuttl’s side took the lead in that game and started strongly before it was backs to the wall and having scant ideas in the second half, they eventually lost 3-1. It’s a far cry to when the German manager was being praised for his tactical approach when he was first appointed and many Saints fans will agree that he doesn’t appear to make many substituions when it is clearly needed, it’s as if the game runs away with the team, and change is needed.
It won’t get any easier for the Saints this weekend even if they will play at home with returning fans because they are facing Manchester United. The Red Devils have gone up a few levels and it is something we witnessed in the last six months of last term as they finished as runners-up. The feeling was this side were not ready to become Premier League champions, but this season, that may have shifted.
It’s true that playing Leeds United works in Manchester United’s favour with the way they set up but it was still an emphatic win for the start of the season as Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s team ran out 5-1 winners.
Many have praised Bruno Fernandes over the past couple of seasons and what a way to begin a campaign by scoring a hat trick. United have so many attacking options that whisper it, but they look almost back to their Sir Alex Ferguson best, at this present time.
Team News:
Southampton: The club have no new injuries and only William Smallbone is out and that is to a long term knee injury which has kept him out of the team for the majority of this year.
Manchester United: Alex Telles won’t be back for another 3 weeks due to an ankle injury. Dean Henderson has a lack of match fitness and is a doubt for the game. Marcus Rashford won’t be back for another 6-7 weeks due to a shoulder injury.
Southampton vs Man Utd Head to Head:
The last time the teams played Manchester United destroyed Southampton 9-0.
Last season this fixture finished 3-2 to Manchester United.
Southampton have not beaten Manchester United when at home in the league since 2003 and never at St. Mary’s.
5 out of the last six meetings has seen over 3.5 goals.
Southampton vs Man Utd Prediction:
Manchester United are 1.57 to win this game but the way they are playing even though we have seen just one game they could have easily have been just under 1.50. We think there are goals in this game with the majority going to the away side.
There is an air of confidence about Solskjaer’s team and they usually score quite a few goals against the Saints. On the flipside to this Southampton will not enter this game in the greatest spirits although having the fans back will be an incredible feeling for the team. The problem though is if they go behind then the pressure mounts and we think this is how the game could play out.
One choice could be to look for even more value in the United price and back them to win on the handicap. Bruno Fernandes and Edinson Cavani have had much joy in the last two games against the Saints and perhaps both should be backed to make their mark on the game.
Southampton vs Man Utd Betting Tips:
Asian handicap (-1 Manchester United) at 2.06
Anytime goalscorer: Edinson Cavani at 2.10
Anytime goalscorer: Bruno Fernandes at 2.25
© Copyright topfootballtipster.com 2019
