- Both teams have scored in five of Southampton’s six competitive games this season
- Leicester have kept only one clean sheet in five league outings
- Recommended bet: Both teams to score & over 2.5 goals

Southampton and Leicester City were mixing it in the Premier League last season, but the pair are now competing in the Championship and have ambitions of returning to the top-flight at the first time of asking.

Saints completed a league double over Leicester last season, but it is the Foxes who have made the stronger start to the Championship campaign, taking 12 points from their first five outings.

Southampton have also made an encouraging start, collecting ten points from five matches, but they have to respond to the 5-0 hiding inflicted on them by Sunderland prior to the international break.

Leicester also suffered their first defeat of the season last time out as they limped to a 1-0 reverse at home to Hull City, so both sets of supporters will be demanding a positive response from their players.

Team news

Enduring relegation from the Premier League has meant both Southampton and Leicester have had to sell on their most prized possessions.

One of Southampton’s new signings, Ross Stewart, is not yet fit to feature following his move from Sunderland, while Juan Larios and Jack Stephens remain sidelined.

Leicester centre-back Conor Coady, a summer arrival from Wolves, is the only confirmed absentee for the visitors 

The stats

Leicester have won four of their first five league games, but they were beaten twice by Southampton last season, losing 2-1 at home in August before suffering a 1-0 loss at St Mary's in March.

Despite their impressive start, Leicester have managed only one clean sheet in their five league outings, with three of their four wins finishing 2-1.

Southampton, meanwhile, have conceded in all five of their league games, while also losing 3-1 at League Two Gillingham in the EFL Cup.

That means both teams have scored in five of their six competitive matches and that includes in a 4-4 thriller at home to Norwich City.

Both teams have also scored in four of the last five meetings between the pair, which bodes well for an entertaining affair in Friday’s showdown on the South Coast.

Prediction

Southampton and Leicester have invested money they have received from departures heavily in their bid to return to the Premier League at the first time of asking and, with so much attacking talent on show, this should prove a lively watch.

The Saints have had no problem racking up the goals at the start of the season, but there has been a lack of defensive discipline and they have conceded in all six of their matches.

That includes conceding four against Norwich and five in defeat at Sunderland, frailties that Leicester will be expected to punish.

However, the Foxes have had their own defensive concerns and their only clean sheet in five league outings came in victory at a Huddersfield Town side who are languishing in 21st.

Both teams have scored in four of their last five rivalries and that looks a likely scenario again as the pair bid to showcase their promotion credentials.

Back both teams to score & over 2.5 goals at 10/11 with LiveScore Bet.

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