Southampton v Chelsea: betting preview, free tip & where to watch

Football tips, best bets and predictions for Southampton v Chelsea in the Premier League.

Where to watch

Sky Sports Premier League & Main Event, 2pm Sunday

Best bet

Both teams to score
2pts 4-6 RedZone

Back this tip with bet365

Team news

Southampton
Cedric Soares and Moussa Djenepo remain sidelined.

Chelsea
Antonio Rudiger, Emerson and Ruben Loftus-Cheek remain injured, but N'Golo Kante is in contention to start.

Match preview

St Mary's is usually a happy hunting ground for Chelsea and Frank Lampard's carefree kids can serve up another high-scoring encounter at Southampton.

Chelsea are the most prolific Premier League visitors to Hampshire, winning eight and scoring 22 times in their 11 top-flight meetings, and they also smashed Saints 5-1 in the FA Cup at the venue in 2013.

Lampard, typically, was on target in that knockout contest and as a manager he has continued his partiality for goals which points to a punt on both teams notching.

There were concerns for Lampard's side, minus the sold Eden Hazard and under a registration ban, when they went under 4-0 at Manchester United on the opening weekend but the Blues have recovered reasonably well.

That was the only time Chelsea have failed to score in a domestic encounter this season and they also hit the woodwork twice at Old Trafford while Tammy Abraham is growing into the striking role.

Abraham, subbed on 66 minutes in Manchester, then missed a penalty in the European Super Cup defeat to Liverpool and was edged out of the side by Olivier Giroud for the subsequent 1-1 draw at Leicester, prompting some to suggest the forward was out of his depth.

Now Abraham finds himself in the England squad after scoring eight goals in five matches, including a crucial opener in the 2-1 success away to Lille in the Champions League on Wednesday.

Mason Mount and Willian are supplying the creativity for Chelsea, who have been rampant at times. They hit seven past Grimsby in the EFL Cup and five at Wolves so should be capable of bagging at St Mary's too.

However, Lampard's team, possibly due to the exuberance of youth, lack control and they have struggled for consistency. The Blues have not won successive league games under the new boss and their sole clean sheet in 11 outings this term came against Brighton.

Those defensive issues started before Lampard. Chelsea have conceded 27 away Premier League goals in 2019 which should offer encouragement for Southampton.

Saints have scored in 24 of their last 27 matches since a 0-0 draw at Stamford Bridge in early January and that sequence includes goals against Liverpool, Manchester United and Tottenham this season.

Ralph Hasenhuttl's outfit carry a threat through Danny Ings, Nathan Redmond and Sofiane Boufal, but defensively there are major concerns whether the Austrian uses a three or four-man defence.

They have never recovered from losing outstanding pair Virgil van Dijk and Toby Alderweireld and Bournemouth caused many problems in Southampton's last home match, eventually running out 3-1 victors.