Southampton v Crystal Palace predictions: Saints can grind out low-scoring win

Free football tips, best bets and analysis for Tuesday's Premier League contest between Southampton and Crystal Palace.

Where to watch

Sky Premier League and Main event, 8.15pm Tuesday

Best bet

Southampton to win & under 2.5 goals
1pt 15-4 bet365

Team news

Southampton
Takumi Minamino is available after being ineligible to play against Liverpool on Saturday. The game is likely to come too soon for Oriel Romeu but Danny Ings may make the bench. Ryan Bertrand and Will Smallbone are unlikely to feature again this season.

Crystal Palace
James McArthur is struggling with a calf issue but James Tomkins and Nathaniel Clyne could return.

Match preview

Crystal Palace confirmed their Premier League safety with a 2-0 win over relegated Sheffield United on Saturday and the pressure is also off Southampton for this clash at St Mary's.

Fulham's 2-0 defeat at home to Burnley on Monday sent the Cottagers back down to the Championship, and removed the threat of relegation for the struggling Saints who have slipped dangerously close to the drop zone.

It's been a season of two halves for Southampton who were firmly in the European qualification discussion in the lead up to Christmas.

However, since beating Liverpool at the start of January the Saints have taken just eight points from a miserable league run in which they have won twice, drawn twice and lost 13 times.

The most recent of those losses was a 2-0 defeat at Liverpool on Saturday but there were plenty of reasons in that game for Ralph Hasenhuttl's men to approach this Palace assignment with plenty of optimism.

Southampton equalled Liverpool's total of six shots on target at Anfield and it's telling that Reds keeper Alisson was named man of the match despite being on the winning side.

It could have been a different story for Saints had Ibrahima Diallo and Che Adams made more of some excellent chances and they will be keen to be more ruthless back on home soil with plenty left to play for.

Leading goalscorer Danny Ings could return to the Saints bench and Takumi Minamino is available having been ineligible to play against parent club Liverpool at the weekend.

It's been a stop-start spell for the Japanese international since his loan move to the south coast but his energy and movement could ask a lot of some weary legs in the Eagles line up.

Palace have won just one of their last five trips to Southampton and with the pressure off it wouldn't be a surprise to see a lethargic effort from Roy Hodgson's side.

The Eagles have scored just 20 goals in their 17 away league games this season and there is little reason for them to be pushing too hard to add to that tally.

This fixture is rarely a blockbuster - none of the last five meetings has featured more than two goals - but with life in the top flight guaranteed for another season, Saints could celebrate by nicking a low-scoring encounter.