Southampton v Leicester predictions, betting odds and tips: Foxes can take advantage of sloppy Saints

Where to watch Southampton v Leicester

Sky Sports Main Event  & Football, 8pm Friday

Best bet

Leicester draw no bet
1pt 11-10 bet365, Paddy Power, Betfair

Southampton v Leicester odds

Southampton 7-5
Leicester 19-10
Draw 5-2

Odds correct at time of publishing

Southampton v Leicester team news

Southampton
Jack Stephens remains sidelined and Jan Bednarek is a doubt after picking up a knock while on international duty with Poland.

Leicester
Conor Coady has returned to training but will need to work on his fitness.

Southampton v Leicester predictions

Leicester relinquished their 100 per cent record with a surprise 1-0 loss at home to Hull before the Championship went on hiatus but they have made a strong start to the season and can reclaim first place with a victory at seventh-placed Southampton.

The international break is likely to have been a period of soul-searching for the Saints, who were hammered 5-0 at Sunderland on their last outing.

Southampton remain reasonably well-placed having taken ten points from a possible 15 but their defensive deficiencies were ruthlessly exposed by the Black Cats and it will be interesting to see how they respond.

Saints' boss Russell Martin has a strong belief in a possession-based approach and his team have had comfortably more of the ball, at an average of 71.3 per cent, than any second-tier rival.

However, they offered up far too many counter-attacking opportunities at the Stadium of Light and risk further heavy punishment against the Foxes unless they can strike a better balance.

Leicester have lost a lot of quality since registering a famous 9-0 Premier League victory away to Southampton in October 2019, but they have recorded away wins over Huddersfield and Rotherham and they look a more settled side than their hosts.

Individual quality wins a lot of games in the Championship but it also helps to get the basics right and Southampton's structure has not been correct.

Martin's side have shipped 12 goals, more than any other second-tier side, and their soft underbelly could allow Leicester to make it five wins from six.

Key stat

Southampton have conceded at least three goals in seven of their last 11 matches

Probable teams

Southampton (4-3-3): Bazunu; Walker-Peters, Harwood-Bellis, Holgate, Manning; Smallbone, Downes, S Armstrong; Mara, A Armstrong, Fraser.
Subs: McCarthy, Adams, Aribo, Bree, Bednarek, Alcaraz, Charles, Amo-Ameyaw, Edozie.

Leicester (3-4-3): Hermansen; Faes, Vestergaard, Doyle; Pereira, Ndidi, Winks, Dewsbury-Hall; Akgun, Iheanacho, Mavididi.
Subs: McAteer, Casadei, Fatawu, Vardy, Justin, Marcal-Madivadua, Stolarczyk, Nelson, Choudhury.

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