Southampton v Chelsea: Prediction, Tips and Odds

Southampton will be looking to build on Friday’s Premier League draw at Brighton when they entertain Chelsea on Wednesday.

However, the Blues have looked strong under Enzo Maresca and will be confident after brushing Aston Villa aside 3-0 on Sunday.

Their striker Nicolas Jackson scored his eighth goal of the season in that match and could make another big impression at St Mary’s.

Southampton v Chelsea betting tips and predictions

Chelsea to win & both teams to score - 6/4

Few people will be surprised to see Southampton at the bottom of the Premier League after they gained promotion by winning last season’s Championship play-off final, and, while there have been some encouraging recent signs, they look up against it when they face Chelsea on Wednesday.

The Saints claimed their only win to date when they beat Everton at the beginning of November, a victory that came after they surrendered a two-goal lead in a 3-2 defeat to Leicester.

They did not disgrace themselves in single-goal-margin defeats to Manchester City and Liverpool - they led 2-1 against the Reds before losing 3-2 - and they were a disallowed goal away from winning at Brighton on Friday.

Russell Martin’s side have collected five points from 13 games and could make a fist of staying up, but it is hard to fancy them against the Blues, who could prove Liverpool’s closest title challengers.

Only Tottenham have scored more top-flight goals than Enzo Maresca’s side this season and they eased past a strong Aston Villa side on Sunday, with Cole Palmer again grabbing the headlines with a well-taken third goal.

The league leaders are the only team to have beaten the Blues since a 2-0 opening-day defeat to champions City, but there is some positive news for the Saints as Chelsea’s win at the weekend was the first time in eight league outings that they have kept a clean sheet.

10 of their last 12 away league games have featured at least three goals, but the best bet looks to be to bank on an away victory with both teams scoring.

Nicolas Jackson to score at any time - 5/4

While Palmer continues to be one of the league’s star performers, another player who has been flourishing since Maresca arrived at Stamford Bridge at the start of the season is Senegal striker Nicolas Jackson.

He fired home his eighth goal of the season to set them on their way against Villa and has had a shot on target in each of his Premier League appearances this term, having started all 13 of Chelsea’s games.

He has made the centre-forward spot his own and five of his goals have come on the road, including the first in the Blues’ most recent away game at Leicester.

Jackson could add to his tally as he looks to eclipse the 14 league goals he scored last term.

Mateus Fernandes to be booked - 5/2

Southampton’s Mateus Fernandes looks set to be in the heart of the action and there looks a strong chance he could pick up his fourth booking of the season.

The Portuguese midfielder looks set to be employed in a sitting role after Flynn Downes picked up his fifth yellow card in Friday’s 1-1 at Brighton and he could have his work cut out keeping Palmer in check.

There is a strong chance the Saints could be overrun in the middle of the park and that makes Fernandes an interesting price to pick up another caution.

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Southampton v Chelsea odds

Southampton - 15/2
Draw - 17/4
Chelsea - 1/3

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This article was written by a partner sports writer via Spotlight Sports Group. All odds displayed on this page were correct at the time of writing and are subject to withdrawal or change at any time.