Southampton vs. Brighton & Hove Albion Prediction, 7/16/20
Still not mathematically safe from relegation, 15th-placed Brighton & Hove Albion will try to end a two-game skid while visiting 12th-placed Southampton, who are unbeaten in four straight fixtures. Kick-off - at 15:15 PM ET on Thursday, July 16.
Saints Draw With Man United
The unbeaten run of Southampton extended to four consecutive games (W2 D2) after the team earned a 2-2 draw with Manchester United away at Old Trafford on Monday. The Saints controlled the ball 53% of the time and outshot the hosts 9-8, banking the equalizer six minutes into added time through Michael Obafemi following a corner after the Red Devils canceled out Stuart Armstrong’s 12th-minute opener with two quick-fire goals in the first half. Southampton remain 12th in the standings (W13 D6 L16), safe from relegation, but no longer fighting for a top-six finish in the league.
With 19 league markers this season, English striker Danny Ings leads the Saints in scoring. Goalie Alex McCarthy, meanwhile, resides 14th in the Premier League with 73 saves. He has posted six clean sheets in 25 games during the current campaign and gives up a goal every 68 minutes on average. Southampton has scored the 9th highest quantity of EPL strikes this season (45), while delivering the 6th highest number of shots per game (12.8). The team is 12th in ball possession (48.1%) and 2nd from the bottom in passing accuracy (72.5%).
Brighton Get Battered By Man City
Brighton & Hove Albion were dealt their third defeat in the past four league contests (W1 L3) after being beaten with a count of 5-0 by Manchester City at Amex Stadium on Saturday. The Seagulls gave up 70% of ball possession and were outshot 26-3, failing to deliver a single attempt on target, shooting blanks for the fifth time in their last eight EPL outings. Brighton sit 15th in the league with a W8 D12 L15 record but find themselves just five points off the bottom-three, currently needing five more points to secure safety for the next season with three contests remaining.
French forward Neal Maupay tops the Seagulls’ scoring table, having netted nine times in the league this season. Goalie Mat Ryan, meanwhile, sits 6th in the EPL with 111 saves. He has picked up eight clean sheets in 35 Premier League contests this year and concedes a goal every 61 minutes of play. Brighton has scored the 4th lowest amount of goals during the ongoing campaign (36) while taking the 9th highest quantity of shots per game (12.2). The team is 7th in ball possession (52.0%) and 8th in passing accuracy (81.2%).
Prediction
Brighton & Hove Albion are still in the fight to remain in the Premier League for the next season, currently sitting five points above the bottom three. The team requires five points from the last three games of the rolling year to guarantee safety but might end up needing less - depending on the performances of the other four struggling sides. A trip to Southampton, mind, does not promise anything positive for the Seagulls! The Saints have been in excellent form lately, presently riding a four-game unbeaten run (W2 D2), with a win versus Manchester City (1-0) and a draw against Manchester United (2-2) both among the results. Besides, Brighton have already lost three of their previous four competitive meetings with Southampton (D1 L3), failing to score a single goal in each defeat.
Best bet:
Southampton to win (+120)
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Leicester City vs. Sheffield United Prediction
Crystal Palace vs. Manchester United Prediction