Southampton can improve their chances of escaping the relegation zone on Saturday as the Saints host Bournemouth at St Marys in a south coast derby.
The home side’s recent form has been poor, as four defeats in their last five Premier League outings have left Mark Hughes side four points away from safety. This is a must-win clash for the Saints.
Southampton’s biggest problem of late has been keeping out the opposition, as the home side has conceded two or more goals in four of their last five league games. To make matters worse, the Saints have also failed to score in four of their last six league outings.
The home side’s recent form on home soil in the league has been poor, as the Saints have failed to win in their last nine outings. Their recent home games in the league have been low-scoring, with four of their last five games at St Marys producing under 2.5 goals.
Bournemouth are currently 11th place in the Premier League table and will be hoping for a top ten finish this season. However, a recent poor run of form in the league has hampered their chances of finishing in the top ten this season.
The Cherries have recorded just one win in their last nine Premier League games, failing to win in their last four league outings. Just like their hosts, Eddie Howe’s side has had defensive problems of late, conceding at least two goals in five of their last six outings in the top-flight.
The visitor’s away form has also been poor of late, as the Cherries have won just one of their last 11 league games on their travels. Their poor recent defensive record has extended to their away games, as they have conceded two or more goals in three of their last four outings on their travels.
Forebet predicts that Bournemouth will hamper their neighbour’s chances of survival by taking a share of the spoils at St Marys.