Middlesbrough will be a buoyant side when they travel to St. Mary’s to face Southampton. Boro ended last week’s proceedings with an invaluable 1-0 win over Hull City on Monday night. It seems that the Teessiders have slowly found their feet after a difficult couple of months. They haven’t yet started winning enough games to be sure of survival but the signs are positive for Aitor Karanka and his boys.
They will be up against a Southampton team who have been impressive on their own and sit 2 points above Boro. They have the exact goal difference and everything points to an exciting encounter. The Saints will most likely have the upper hand due to their experience but Boro will not be prepared to sit back and just defend.
It will be a tight affair but Southampton slightly edges ahead as pre-match favourites.
TRIVIA
- This will be the first Premier League game between Southampton and Middlesbrough since March 2005, which Saints won 3-1 at the Riverside Stadium. However, this is Boro’s only loss to the Saints in seven previous Premier League meetings (W2 D4).
- Southampton haven’t won a top-flight home game against Middlesbrough since September 1996. They won 4-0 thanks to goals from Matt Le Tissier (2), Matt Oakley and Gordon Watson.
- Southampton have allowed their opponents just 35 shots on target in the Premier League this season; the best record in the competition in 2016-17 so far.
- Middlesbrough have mustered a league-low 36 shots on target this season after 14 matchdays.
- This will be the 12th time in their last 18 Premier League matches that Southampton will have played on a Sunday. They have already played more Premier League games on a Sunday than any other team this season (8)
- There have been just 28 goals in games involving Southampton and Middlesbrough this season – no side has seen fewer goals scored in their Premier League matches in 2016-17.
TEAM NEWS
SOUTHAMPTON
Southampton top scorer Charlie Austin is out after suffering a shoulder injury against Hapoel Beer Sheva.
Dusan Tadic returned from injury as a substitute in that match, while Jay Rodriguez and Sofiane Boufal have recovered from slight injuries.
MIDDLESBROUGH
Middlesbrough trio Gaston Ramirez, Alvaro Negredo and Jordan Rhodes are all injury doubts after missing training on Friday.
George Friend is continuing to build up his fitness after a knee problem.
PREDICTED LINE-UPS
SOUTHAMPTON (4-3-3)
Forster; Martina, Fonte, Van Dijk, Bertrand; Ward-Prowse, Hojbjerg, Davis; Boufal, Long, Tadic
MIDDLESBROUGH (4-3-3)
Valdes; Barragan, Chambers, Gibson, Fabio; Forshaw, Clayton, De Roon; Fischer, Negredo, Downing
BETTING ODDS
SOUTHAMPTON- 7/10
DRAW- 27/10
MIDDLESBROUGH-5/1
