Premier League: Saints Pray for a Miracle Against the Gunners

Arsenal vs Southampton

Two teams that are on opposite sides of the Premier League table will convene at the Emirates Stadium, as Arsenal host Southampton on Saturday, and both sides need this win for different reasons.

For Arsenal, they must keep pace at the top of the standings, with Liverpool and Manchester City above them while Chelsea and Aston Villa are lurking. The Gunners have 14 points, level with Manchester City.

In contrast, Southampton need this victory to get out of the relegation zone as soon as possible and to take some pressure off of head coach Russell Martin.

The Saints are the huge underdogs for this contest, but can they put up a valiant stand against their hosts? Continue reading below for today’s SBOTOP game preview.

 

Talking Points

Saka and Havertz wreaking havoc for Arsenal

Arsenal are still seeking their first Premier League championship since Arsene Wenger’s “invincibles” in 2003-04. They’ve been knocking on the door for the past two seasons but felt short behind Manchester City.

Despite their recent letdowns, Bukayo Saka is confident about the Gunners’ chances this time, boldly declaring that this is their year to finally win it all. To his credit, he is doing everything in his power to make it happen.

The speedy winger is the team’s top playmaker with five assists and one goal, and he has formed good chemistry with Kai Havertz, Leandro Trossard, and Gabriel Martinelli up front.

Speaking of Kai Havertz, he is also in fine form for Arsenal, as he leads the team with three league goals. The former Bayer Leverkusen man was crucial to last night’s Champions League victory against PSG since he drew first blood.

Mikel Arteta’s faith in Havertz being the team’s lead striker is paying off because his attacking statistics are now some of the best among forwards in the Premier League, with only Erling Haaland (1.04 per 90), Mohamed Salah (0.66 per 90), and Cole Palmer (0.65 per 90) boasting a better expected goals ratio than him (0.60 per 90).

 

Martin on the Southampton hot seat

The mood around St. Mary’s is gloomy after the Saints’ poor run of Premier League 2024 results.

According to reports, manager Russell Martin and sporting director Rasmus Ankersen are facing scrutiny from their owner, Serbian billionaire Dragan Solak, so they might be axed if they don’t turn the team’s fortunes around fast.

Martin was visibly frustrated after their 3-1 defeat against Bournemouth last time out, as he called out his players’ “lack of spirit and fight.” Southampton played so badly in that match to the point that they were booed by their travelling supporters.

Against a loaded team like Arsenal, Southampton’s backline will be in for another long night, especially since team captain Jack Stephens will remain sidelined.

The 30-year-old centre-back was given a straight red card against Manchester United, and his suspension was extended for two more matches by the FA.

 

History

Southampton were relegated to the Championship after a 20^th-place finish (25 points) in 2022-23, but they made it back to the Premier League after finishing fourth in the Championship table and beating Leeds United in the play-off final.

The last two Premier League meetings between Southampton and Arsenal ended up being draws (3-3 and 1-1), and the Saints won 1-0 in the previous meeting before the 2022-23 campaign.

Arsenal are one of the two undefeated teams left in the English top-flight besides Manchester City, with four wins and two draws.

Meanwhile, Southampton have five losses and one draw in their opening six league matches, good for only one point and 19^th place in the standings. This is their joint-worst start to a campaign since 1998-99.

 

Betting Tip

The Premier League 2024 odds have Arsenal winning this contest at home. The Gunners are priced at 1.13 to win, whereas Southampton are major 12.50 underdogs, and a draw is at 7.30 in the 1X2 market.

This particular fixture has featured several goals, and this weekend shouldn’t be any different, with the hosts likely to score more.

Other than our recommended bet above, football bettors can also have Over 3.25 at 1.78, Over 3.50 at 2.00, Over 3.75 at 2.29, or Total Goal 4-6 at 2.16 as alternatives, while Total Goal 2-3 at 2.30 is a safer option.

A draw is already considered a win in itself for the Saints, and if you fancy their chances of taking a point, then check out Correct Scores of 1-1 and 0-0, given their massive offers of 16.50 and 29.00, respectively.

   

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