Southampton go head-to-head against West Brom on Friday. Read our Predictions and Betting Tips with Match Preview, Head-to-head stats (h2h), and Team Form Analysis.
This match will be played on 18/05/2024 at 03:00
A place in the Championship playoff final is the prize as Southampton host West Brom in the semi-final second leg. The tie is perfectly poised following a stalemate in the first meeting. But the Saints will fancy their chances of claiming the upper hand in front of their fans.
Southampton and West Brom could not be separated in the first leg as they battled to a 0-0 draw at the Hawthorns. The Saints had the slight edge in a closely fought encounter and will be confident of getting things right at St Mary’s.
HIGHLIGHTED TEAM (SOUTHAMPTON):
Southampton are an English football club that has been playing their home games at St Mary’s Stadium since 2001. The Saints were based at The Dell in the past, and the capacity of Southampton’s new stadium is 32,505. Southampton wears red and white striped shirts, and the color of the team’s away kit is navy and green.
The Saints have yet to win the Premier League trophy, but they did well to clinch the FA Cup title back in 1976 while participating in the final of the prestigious competition in 1900, 1902, and 2003. Southampton outplayed Manchester United in the 1976 FA Cup final, which is probably the club’s most significant victory ever.
The club is well known for its football academy, and Real Madrid superstar Gareth Bale is one of the players who began their football career at the St. Mary’s Stadium outfit. Southampton’s fiercest rivals are Portsmouth, and the two teams square off against each other in the South Coast Derby.
Southampton vs West Brom Prediction
A place in the big playoff final at Wembley will be up for grabs on Friday evening as Southampton and West Brom resume their semi-final tie for the return leg at St. Mary’s Stadium. ABCJILI: The tie is wide open after a goalless draw in the first game on Sunday at The Hawthorns.
- We saw five shots on target by the two teams combined in the first leg at The Hawthorns.
- West Brom won only 6 of 23 away fixtures in this term of the Championship.
- Southampton won three of the last four home outings.
Southampton are certainly the happier of the two sides after a goalless stalemate at The Hawthorns. They are well aware of West Brom’s impressive home record. Having avoided a defeat in the Midlands, the Saints now have an excellent opportunity to advance to the final with a victory in their backyard.
The first leg brought us an exciting, open match without too many big chances. Only 5 of 24 total shots combined by the two teams hit the target five days ago. For West Brom, it was the second straight clean sheet following a 3-0 victory over Preston North End on the final day of the regular season. Can the Baggies keep their net untouched at St. Mary’s?
Tradition, by all means, favors Southampton. The hosts have a tremendous record against West Brom at St. Mary’s. The Saints won 15, drew 10, and lost only 3 of the previous 28 home clashes against the Baggies.
Southampton are also unbeaten in three head-to-head matches against West Brom this season. The Saints have managed two wins and a draw in the process. Just one of the previous five head-to-head encounters saw goals scored at both ends.
We expect another intense battle between the two similarly-matched opponents. The stakes can’t be higher. The tension should once again affect the overall quality of the match. Also, neither team has shown a solid attacking rhythm on a consistent level in the last couple of months.
The fact that we saw just five shots on goal by the two outfits combined on Sunday at The Hawthorns speaks volumes. Lastly, only one of the previous five head-to-head clashes between these teams saw goals scored at both ends. We will pick the Under 2.5 goals as the main betting option at 1.80 odds.
Alternatively, the home win bet looks excellent at the same 1.80 odds. West Bromwich Albion have played incomparably better at home than on the road throughout the season.
The Baggies have managed just 6 of their 21 regular season wins away from home this term. St. Mary’s Stadium is one of the most formidable fortresses to conquer in the Championship.
Also, Southampton has a tradition of backing them up here. The Baggies left Southampton victorious just three times in the previous 28 visits.
