Southampton v West Ham predictions: Slow starters won't provide early fireworks

Free football tips, best bets and analysis for Southampton v West Ham in the Premier League on Sunday.

When to bet

2pm Sunday

Best bet

Half-time draw
1pt 23-20 Hills

Team news

Southampton
Moussa Djenepo is a doubt due to illness and the game will come too soon for Romeo Lavia.

West Ham
Craig Dawson and Angelo Ogbonna face fitness tests but Michail Antonio, Kurt Zouma and Thilo Kehrer are expected to return after missing Thursday’s win over Anderlecht. Maxwel Cornet and Nayef Aguerd are out.

Match preview

Ralph Hasenhuttl desperately needs to plug some holes in his sinking Southampton ship and that could lead to the hosts taking a cautious approach when West Ham visit St Mary’s.

Hasenhuttl is second-favourite in the betting for the next Premier League manager to go after four straight defeats, continuing a downward trend under the Austrian in which the south coast side have won just two of their last 15 league engagements.

They look primed to be picked off by a West Ham side who have won four on the spin in all competitions, seeing off Fulham and Wolves in their last two Premier League outings.

However, the Hammers are still hard to trust having been hit-and-miss after European outings this season, mixing two wins and two losses in their next domestic games, while a record of eight losses from their last ten Premier League away games doesn’t inspire confidence.

Taking a chance on a cagey first-half is the preference instead given neither side having been fast starters this term.

West Ham are yet to score in the first half away from home, while Southampton have gone in level at the break in three of their four home games, and that pattern could continue.

Key stat

26 of West Ham’s last 47 league games have been level at half-time.

Inside info

Southampton

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

West Ham

Penalty taker Jarrod Bowen/Manuel Lanzini
Assist ace Declan Rice
Set-piece aerial threat Kurt Zouma
Card magnet Thilo Kehrer

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