Southampton vs Stoke predictions: Saints to outscore their opponents once again

Joe Casey

Spotlight

Russell Martin's Southampton are back on home territory and can make that count against Stoke

- Both teams have scored in 29 of Southampton's 44 Championship games this season
- Ten of Saints' 22 home league games this season have finished with over 3.5 goals
- Recommended bet: Southampton to win and both teams to score

Southampton are set to miss out on an automatic promotion spot but they will want to set themselves up for the play-offs when they host Stoke, who could still potentially succumb to the drop, on Saturday.

The Potters have had a disappointing season but a run of one defeat from their last six games has seen them climb almost out of trouble, with their 3-0 win over fellow strugglers Plymouth last week putting them four points clear of the drop with two games to play.

They now face a Southampton side destined for the play-offs after losing back-to-back games against Cardiff and Leicester.

Team news

Joe Rothwell and Stuart Armstrong are injury absentees for Southampton, meaning Will Smallbone could return to midfield.

Russell Martin may choose to freshen up his side after their 5-0 hammering at the hands of Leicester and with one eye on the play-offs.

Steven Schumacher is likely to field a similar team to the one that beat Plymouth last time out.

Lynden Gooch, Ben Pearson and Ryan Mmaee are all expected to miss out through injury for the visiting team.

The latest Southampton vs Stoke odds are available on LiveScore Bet

The stats

Steven Schumacher's Stoke have lost only one of their last six games to move to the cusp of safety in the Championship

This looks likely to be a high-scoring affair, with no team having scored in more of their Championship games than Southampton’s tally of 40 in 44 this season.

Over 2.5 goals has landed in 13 of Southampton's last 16 Championship home games and only Leicester have netted more times than the Saints.

However they have struggled defensively, their record of 61 goals conceded is the worst in the top half of the table.

That may be an issue against an away team that have netted in five of their last six games.

The latest Southampton vs Stoke odds are available on LiveScore Bet

Prediction

Consecutive defeats to Cardiff and Leicester have effectively ended Southampton’s hopes of returning to the Premier League automatically and they will now face the lottery of the play-offs.

The Saints have been one of the most entertaining teams in the division to watch this season and they should be able to demonstrate that again when they take on Stoke.

The visitors look likely to stay up but may be outclassed on Saturday. Only four teams have lost more games than the Potters this term and they may fall to another when they take on a Southampton side that have won 15 of their 22 home games.

Both teams should be able to get on the scoresheet but it is the hosts that are fancied to come out on top.

Back Southampton to win and both teams to score at 8/5 with LiveScore Bet.