Hasenhuttl feelgood factor can bring another Southampton success

Saturday 3pm

Huddersfield v Southampton

Ralph Hasenhuttl got his first win as Southampton manager last week and he can grab another positive result when the Saints go marching on to Huddersfield.

Hasenhuttl had only a short while to prepare for his opening encounter, a 1-0 defeat at Cardiff where Jannik Vestergaard's individual error proved costly and a couple of controversial penalty calls went against Soton.

However, Hasenhuttl's ideology came to the fore much more in the 3-2 success over Arsenal as Saints' enthusiasm and desire to press proved too hot for the Gunners to handle.

Southampton are in a false position with the players at their disposal and serious mismanagement was behind last season's relegation scrap as well as their poor start to this campaign.

Hasenhuttl gives them a chance of kicking on and it also helps to have a striker of the calibre of Danny Ings fit again.

Ings can only get better the more minutes he gets into his legs, although seven goals from 13 appearances is a decent return anyway, particularly when you that consider hosts Huddersfield have scored only ten Premier League goals all season.

• Premier League standings

Both Huddersfield and Southampton are performing below their expected-goal figures but it could be for different reasons.

Huddersfield are short of quality in the final third whereas Southampton were lacking efficiency. A more positive attitude can bring with it more positive results for Saints.

Recommendation
Southampton draw no bet
2pts 8-11 general

Wycombe v AFC Wimbledon

Gareth Ainsworth continues to be linked with moves away from Wycombe and he can enhance his reputation by beating Wimbledon.

Wycombe have lost only twice in Sky Bet League One since the start of October and they are particularly strong at home with six straight wins, including triumphs over Peterborough and Barnsley.

Ainsworth is known as a manager who preaches direct football, yet the absence of injured talisman Adebayo Akinfenwa has proved there is much more to Wycombe's play than just long balls up to the big frontman.

Wycombe were the better side in a 2-2 draw at Gillingham last week with nine shots on target and they also had twice the shots on target that opponents Barnsley managed in a 1-0 victory.

Wimbledon sit bottom of the table and seven of their 15 points came in the first three fixtures of the season when the sun was shining.

Autumn was poor and it looks set to be a bleak winter after ten defeats in their last 12 matches.

They created little in the 2-0 loss at Charlton last time out despite Naby Sarr's first-minute red card for the hosts. Striker Mitchell Pinnock was later dismissed, meaning he is suspended, which is a blow as top goalscorer Joe Pigott is out for a few more weeks and skipper Deji Oshilaja was another who missed the trip to The Valley.

Recommendation
Wycombe
1pt 6-5 Betway, BoyleSports, Sky Bet

Yeovil v Northampton

Keith Curle has made a solid start to his Northampton managerial career and they should be rated stronger favourites for the trip to Yeovil.

Northampton have lost two of their 12 League Two matches under Curle, both difficult away trips at top-six sides MK Dons and Newport. They have only failed to score twice – at Milton Keynes and at home to fourth-placed Bury.

Yeovil have won only once since an astonishing 6-0 success at Newport on September 15, although a four-match losing league sequence was stopped thanks to a 0-0 draw at fellow strugglers Cambridge last time out.

• Sky Bet League Two standings

The Glovers were also stunned 3-1 by non-league Stockport in the FA Cup and home advantage may not be worth too much as the fans remain angry about the new two-year deal recently handed to manager Darren Way.

There were only 2,174 fans at Huish Park for the 3-0 defeat to Port Vale, which was way down on last season's average, and that result was followed by a 2-1 home loss to ten-men Forest Green in front of 2,529 spectators.

Recommendation
Northampton draw no bet
1pt 4-5 general

Plays of the day

Banker
Charlton 31-40
It's six league wins in seven for Charlton, who can overcome Gillingham with their defenders having the physical power to deal with the threat of visiting forward Tom Eaves.

Blowout
Portsmouth 21-20
League One leaders Portsmouth could struggle to justify their short price against Sunderland. The Black Cats are behind on shot data but have lost just once in the league all season.

Accumulator
Charlton 31-40, Luton 4-6, Real Betis 5-6, Juventus 9-20 Betway

Both teams to score
Games at Blackburn 4-5, Doncaster 8-11, Grimsby 8-11 Hills

Thought for the week

What is it that makes football teams so often look for people with club connections when aiming to appoint a new manager?

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has nothing on his CV to suggest he should be Manchester United's manager on a temporary or full-time basis and yet Ed Woodward was delighted to bring him back to Old Trafford.

"His history at Manchester United means he lives and breathes the culture here," said Woodward, but the appointment only goes to show how desperate the Red Devils have become for a sporting director who can make the right kind of emotionless decisions.

It's not just at United where this has happened.

Wimbledon welcomed home former player Wally Downes recently and, as in Solskjaer's case, he could well be a success but would he have been given the chance if he hadn't been associated with the Wombles before?

What does it matter that you know the club? Just appoint the best person for the job.

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