Prediction: Southampton to win 1-0
Best Odds: 25/4
Southampton and Stoke City will lock horns with each other in the Carabao Cup this week. The last-16 tie between the Premier League club and the Championship side will be held at St. Mary’s Stadium and is scheduled to kick off at 7:45 pm UK time on Tuesday.
Southampton
Southampton are playing in the Premier League this season after winning promotion from the Championship at the end of the last campaign. The Saints got up only through the playoffs, and there is now a distinct likelihood that they will go down back to the second tier of English football at the end of the current season.
Russell Martin’s side are at the foot of the Premier League table at the moment with just a point from nine matches. Southampton are five points behind 17th-placed Crystal Palace. The Saints will head into the match against Stoke City on the back of a 1-0 defeat at the hands of Manchester City away from home at the Etihad Stadium in the Premier League. It came after a 3-2 loss to Leicester City at St. Mary’s Stadium in the league.
Ahead of the tie, Southampton manager Martin has made it clear that he is determined to win it. He said: “I think it’s the most important game we’ve had this season. We need to try and win, get to a quarter-final of a cup and we need to build on today [Saturday]. And we’ll play the strongest team available to us in terms of fitness and readiness. It’s a big, big game for us. Definitely won’t be 11 changes. There will be some, I think, such is the nature of it and we have two big games after that. But this is the most important one, so we’ll play the team that we feel is the most ready to win.”
Team News:
Southampton could be without Charlie Taylor, who has substituted with a niggle while playing for the Saints’ Under-21 side last Friday. Yukinari Sugawara could feature forthe Premier League after being an unused substitute this past weekend weekend following a knock, with Flynn Downes likely to be available despite being taken off at Manchester City.
Stoke City
Stoke City were once playing in the Premier League, but they are now in the Championship. The Potters finished as low as 17th in the Championship table last season, and things are unlikely to improve much this time around.
Narcís Pèlach’s side are struggling in the Championship at the moment. The Potters are currently as low as 19th in the league table with 12 points from 12 matches. Stoke are a point above the relegation zone, and there is a distinct possibility that they could go down to League One at the end of the campaign.
Stoke will head into the Carabao Cup tie against Southampton at St. Mary’s Stadium on Tuesday evening on the back of a 2-0 defeat at the hands of Sheffield United away from home in the Championship this past weekend. It came after a 2-2 draw with Bristol City at the bet365 Stadium in the Championship.
Team News:
Sam Gallagher is on the sidelines at the moment due to a hamstring injury. Lynden Gooch is also out with a knee injury. Viktor Johansson is likely to be in goal again. Eric Bocat, Bae Jun-ho, Jordan Thompson and Emre Tezgel could come into the team from the weekend. Sam Gallagher is injured.
Key Factors to Consider
- Cameron Archer has scored 2 goals in 9 matches for Southampton so far this season.
- Thomas Cannon has scored 4 goals in 8 games for Stoke City so far this season.
- Southampton have scored 6 goals in 9 matches in the Premier League this campaign.
- Stoke City have conceded 17 goals in 12 matches in the Championship this campaign.
- Southampton have conceded 19 goals in 9 games in the Premier League this campaign.
Conclusion
Both Southampton and Stoke City are struggling at the moment, and the Carabao Cup tie between the two sides is unlikely to be a great game of football. Southampton are likely to edge this tie.
Prediction: Southampton to win 1-0
Best Odds: 25/4
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