Southampton and Brighton & Hove Albion will meet in a game that sees two out-of-form sides meet from the bottom half and the top half of the Premier League table as the Saints aim to get further away from the drop zone while Brighton look for their first win in the league since September.
Following a sensational start to the season where the Seagulls put down an early marker for a battle towards the European spots, the club have now gone an astonishing nine games without a win, meaning almost 70% of their games now have seen them draw or lose.
Quick off the mark ⚡️A clever routine rounded off by @janbednarek_ 👏 pic.twitter.com/zocpRLpVxv— Southampton FC (@SouthamptonFC) December 2, 2021
Quick off the mark ⚡️A clever routine rounded off by @janbednarek_ 👏 pic.twitter.com/zocpRLpVxv
Much of these games have seen draws, however, with the club only losing three times and drawing seven. Nevertheless, their four wins from 14 games have seen them crash into ninth and go almost three months without a win.
In reality, such a high finish for Graham Potter's side was not really going to happen. This league saw teams start off great and and poorly early on in the 2020/21 campaign, and it does seem as if the Premier League is now taking more of a realistic shape.
However, as proven in the game against West Ham United, they remain incredibly resilient. It looked as if Brighton were about to lose again, but Neal Maupay’s stunning strike earned them a point late on.
Maupay remains their best bet for goals once more, as he now has five goals for the Seagulls this season during a period where they’ve managed an alarming 13 goals in only 14 games and now have one of the worst xG conversions in all of Europe just like they did last season.
As for Southampton, they blew another lead in midweek as they led twice against Leicester and drew 2-2 to register their 11th game from 14 without a win. Ralph Hasenhüttl’s men are now only five points above the relegation zone once more and if they lose here, a relegation fight is well and truly on.
Hasenhüttl’s are currently being saved by the lack of form from clubs below them, and although most games are now must-not-lose, clubs such as Burnley, Leeds United, Norwich City, and Newcastle United are all giving them a lifeline.
More alarmingly, the club have scored the third fewest goals in the league as they sit with only 13 netted so far. Now, Forebet predicts a close game here as the Saints usually manage to pull it out the bag when they need it most, while Brighton just can’t seem to score goals.