Fulham vs Southampton
Fulham’s pursuit of a European football berth continues this weekend, as they will host a downtrodden Southampton squad at Craven Cottage this Sunday. The Cottagers are the eighth seed in the Premier League table with 24 points, level with ninth-seeded Brighton. Marco Silva’s side are undefeated in their last four league matches, but three of them are draws. If they beat the Saints, Fulham can go as high as fifth place, depending on this weekend’s Premier League 2024 results.
Southampton are at the bottom of the pack, and relegation seems inevitable. With one win in their first 16 matches, the Saints only have five points, and they are on a three-game losing streak. Interim Simon Rusk will make his English top-flight coaching debut this weekend after the firing of Russell Martin.
Learn more about these two teams by reading today’s SBOTOP match preview.
Talking Points
Robinson is Fulham’s secret weapon
Fulham impressively held Liverpool to a 2-2 draw last time out. Andreas Pereira and Rodrigo Muniz scored one goal each, with Antonee Robinson having a hand in two of those scores. The American international notched his first assist by finding Andreas Pereira for a wonderful finish inside the box after running behind Alex Iwobi during the 11th minute. Robinson’s second assist was a low ball to Rodrigo Muniz after outpacing Jarell Quansah in the 76th minute.
Antonee Robinson is garnering suitors in the trade market because of his ever-growing influence on the Cottagers. The 27-year-old full-back is in his prime, and the numbers suggest just that.
According to Opta, Antonee Robinson’s top speed of 35.6 kph ranks fifth among all Premier League players this season. Robinson also averages 8.5 sprints per 90 minutes, highlighting his work rate. The USMNT star, who leads the Cottagers with six assists, is one of only four outfielders to play every single minute of their team’s Premier League campaign this season, as he’s currently on a run of 49 consecutive league starts for Marco Silva’s side.
In other team news, Calvin Bassey and Tom Cairney are no longer suspended, but Andreas Pereira is out after picking up five yellow cards.
Ramsdale could return for Southampton
The Saints have one of the worst backlines in the league, with 36 goals conceded. Since Aaron Ramsdale hurt his finger against the Wolves last November, Southampton had surrendered a whopping 15 goals in their last five Premier League matches, including two five-goal clangers against Chelsea and Tottenham. Interim head coach Simon Rusk hopes to have Aaron Ramsdale back since he is the first-choice goalkeeper. As shown in the past few games, Alex McCarthy and Joe Lumley aren’t cutting it.
During their 2-1 defeat against Liverpool in last night’s EFL Cup quarter-final tie, Southampton deployed a 5-4-1 formation, with the hope of finding Cameron Archer on the counter. Since it partially worked, Simon Rusk will likely stick to such tactics against Fulham.
History
Fulham achieved a league double over Southampton the last time these two teams met in the 2022-23 campaign, with the Cottagers winning 2-1 at home in December 2022 and 2-0 on the road in May 2023. Before this, Fulham had won just one of their previous nine English top-flight matches against Southampton (D4, L4). After a scoreless season opener, Fulham have scored at least one goal in each of their last 15 Premier League matches – the longest current streak in the Premier League.
Southampton have won just one of their last nine Premier League away matches against Fulham (D3, L5), with the last win being a 3-0 result in February 2014 under Mauricio Pochettino. The Saints will likely stay at the bottom of the Premier League standings at Christmas for the first time in their history, regardless of the result of this match.
Betting Tip
The Premier League 2024 odds have Fulham as the massive favourites to win on Sunday. The Cottagers are 1.38 favourites, while the Saints are 6.20 underdogs, and a draw is at 4.54 in the 1X2 market. Other Asian handicap options (in favour of the hosts) include -1.25 at 1.92 and -1.50 at 2.19.
This season, Marco Silva’s team is playing above their level, so losing or drawing to Southampton would be a major letdown. Fulham’s collective firepower should overwhelm Southampton, no problem. Moreover, a Correct Score of 2-0 for the Cottagers – the result of their previous Premier League encounter – has a decent 7.60 offer. This fixture should feature a handful of goals, making alternatives like Over 2.75 at 1.65 and Total Goal 2-3 at 2.16 viable.
A SHORT EXPLANATION ON HOW OUR (⭐) BETS ARE WORTH:
⭐⭐⭐= €20 (HIGHLY CONFIDENT)
⭐⭐= €10 (CONFIDENT))
⭐= €5 (SOMEWHAT CONFIDENT)
Disclaimer: Odds are correct at time of publish.
●●●
CHECK OUT OUR BLOG FOR MORE FOOTBALL STORIES & ODDS
Stay updated with everything sports and betting.
Follow us on social Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube.
