Southampton v Manchester United predictions: Red Devils have questions to answer

Free football tips, best bets and analysis for Southampton v Manchester United in the Premier League on Saturday.

Where to watch

BT Sport 1, 12.30pm Saturday

Best bets

Both teams to score & over 2.5 goals
3pts 5-6 bet365

Che Adams to be first goalscorer
1pt 9-1 BoyleSports

Team news

Southampton
Romain Perraud could return to the squad but Valentino Livramento is a long-term absentee.

Manchester United
Casemiro should be in the squad after signing from Real Madrid. Harry Maguire and Cristiano Ronaldo are likely to be on the bench again while Brandon Williams and Victor Lindelof are injured.

Match preview

One-match form is rarely a solid foundation for profitable betting so punters should not get carried away by Manchester United's cathartic 2-1 home victory over Liverpool on Monday night.

It was undoubtedly an impressive performance from United, vindicating Erik ten Hag's decision to drop star man Cristiano Ronaldo and captain Harry Maguire for a high-profile fixture against their bitter rivals.

However, doubts remain over a side who started the season with feeble defeats to Brighton and Brentford and are uneasy odds-on shots to win at Southampton.

This is, after all, a United team who have lost their last seven Premier League away games, and there are few hard-luck stories during a run including 4-0 routs at Liverpool, Brighton and Brentford, a 4-1 derby defeat at Manchester City, a 3-1 reverse at Arsenal, and a 1-0 loss at relegation-threatened Everton in April.

Admittedly, six of those seven defeats came under last term's interim manager Ralf Rangnick but in Ten Hag's first away fixture United were 4-0 down at Brentford inside 35 minutes.

The win over Liverpool, who looked jaded in draws with Fulham and Crystal Palace, and the signing of Real Madrid's Casemiro, a much-needed upgrade in midfield, should improve United's morale but backing such poor travellers to win at St Mary's is still a leap of faith.

Southampton finished last season in even worse form than United, taking just one point from their last six matches, but Ralph Hasenhuttl has dug himself out of plenty of holes during his time as Saints boss.

Few Premier League managers would have survived two 9-0 defeats – one against Leicester in October 2019 and another against United in February 2021 – but the Austrian remains at the helm and his side are exceeding low pre-season expectations.

They took the lead at Tottenham in their opener before crumbling to a 4-1 defeat but came from 2-0 down to claim a 2-2 draw at home to Leeds and won 2-1 at Leicester last weekend.

Both Saints and United remain unconvincing at the back so backing both teams to score and over 2.5 goals looks a solid bet - and one that has copped in seven of Southampton's last eight Premier League matches and two of the Red Devils' first three this season.

Che Adams came off the bench to score both goals against Leicester and a brace in the EFL Cup win over Cambridge United on Tuesday. The Scotland international is worth backing to unsettle a United defence who allowed Brighton centre-forward Danny Welbeck five attempts at goal in their opening game.

Key stat

Manchester United have lost their last seven Premier League away matches.

Inside info

Southampton

Penalty taker James Ward-Prowse
Assist ace James Ward-Prowse
Set-piece aerial threat Armel Bella-Kotchap
Card magnet Mohamed Salisu

Manchester United

Penalty taker Cristiano Ronaldo/Bruno Fernandes
Assist ace Christian Eriksen
Set-piece aerial threat Raphael Varane
Card magnet Bruno Fernandes

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