Southampton vs Bournemouth match preview, analysis, possible line-ups

With just six rounds to go, the atmosphere is really tense. There is so much pressure on elite teams and quotidian EPL members alike. From fighting and vying for the 31^st Premier League crown to competing for a top-four spot which would guarantee a berth in next season’s edition of the UEFA Champions League to aiming for at least top six or seven which would translate into an appearance in either the UEFA Europa League or Conference League as the case may be. There are also teams who are struggling to avoid being swept away by the relegation flood, to at least have another go at English Premier League football in the 2023/24 season.

The past weekend was eventful, action-packed, and filled with a lot of drama. We saw Mikel Arteta’s Arsenal drop points for yet the third consecutive game in another unfortunate draw to bottom-placed Southampton. We also saw Newcastle thrash fellow top-four contenders Tottenham 6-1 as the club moved closer to achieving their first Champions League qualification in 20 years. We saw Liverpool defeat Nottingham Forest 3-2. It was also a little less noisy as we didn’t get to see Erling Haaland and Manchester City go on another carnage rampage, Erik Ten Hag and Manchester United, Frank Lampard and a presently distraught Chelsea side.

Southampton vs Bournemouth

Two teams stricken by relegation woes go head-to-head and toe-to-toe in this tie in a battle, a rat race to stay above overwhelming waters. Southampton are the lowest, deepest thing in the Premier League this season, the dirt the shovel digs last. With a mediocre performance of six wins, six draws, and twenty losses, The Saints are 20th in the league, last-placed with 24 points accumulated in 32 games, an average of 0.75 per game. Bournemouth themselves are actively in a bid to escape the demotion-bound zone. Having gathered 33 points in 32 games, The Cherries currently find themselves in fifteenth position, trailing The Hammers by a match draw"s worth; a lone point, and leading Leeds United and Nottingham Forest by three despite having a game in hand.

Bournemouth must by all means avoid the danger zone by posting a confident win over The Saints tonight if their Premier League football aspirations are anything to go by. Gary O"Neil would be looking to ensure his team makes another 38 appearances in top-tier English football. The Cherries were demoted to the Championship at the end of the 2019/20 season, thanks to a despicable eighteenth-place finish with 34 points in 38 games but were reinstated under Scott Parker"s watch last spell, in which the team finished second with a total of 88 points in 46 games, just two points behind Championship winners, Fulham.

A clash with The Saints may be a perfect chance for Gary and his men to clasp three vital points, their opponents having gotten so accustomed to losses, week in, week out in the league.

Southampton vs Bournemouth: Last time

Southampton

The relegation-haunted side took a trip to the Emirates stadium wary of their opponents" status as league leaders and champions-elect. Carlos Alcaraz put his side ahead of the hosts with just a minute winded off the clock, thanks to a botched pass from Aaron Ramsdale. Theo Walcott, a former Arsenal man himself, made an away win look more reassuring, doubling The Saints" lead thirteen minutes later. Arsenal battled back responding through Martinelli before the visitors showed just how much business they actually meant by restoring the two-goal lead in the second half. However, Ruben Selles" side could not hang on to the lead as The Gunners struck two on the dearth of game closure, in the 88th minute through Martin Odegaard and two minutes later from Bukayo Saka.

Bournemouth

Gary O"Neil"s men would be looking to shrug off the dust from last weekend"s heavy thumping, a 4-0 defeat endured at the hands of an electrified West Ham side. The Cherries have no good memories of week 32, where they took a huge blow, mercilessly hammered by the Hammers. Michail Antonio, Lucas Paqueta, Declan Rice, and Pablo Fornals were the perpetrators and the brain behind a woeful evening for the hosts at the Vitality stadium.

Southampton vs Bournemouth: Last Encounter

A single goal separated these two striped-outfit clubs the last time they slugged it out in English top-tier football. Southampton came away with a win, which happened to be their first in six games then, their first away clean sheet in about a year. The Saints got one over their opponents, thanks to an early header tucked into the net by Che Adams from Romain Perraud"s cross.

Southampton vs Bournemouth: Head-to-Head

Both sides have met a dozen times in the past. Southampton have a bit of an upper hand, the records claim, having come out on top in six of those fixtures compared to two wins for Bournemouth. The duo have played out four draws between each other to date.

Southampton vs Bournemouth key stats

• Southampton have triumphed over The Cherries in their past three meetings( 0-1, 0-3, and 0-2) in which all three have been away games, twice in the Premier League and once in the FA Cup.
• Bournemouth with two overall wins against the Saints have only registered a win over tonight"s contenders in the past ten fixtures.
• The Saints have a poor run of form, having failed to win any of their past seven Premier League fixtures to date.
• Ruben Selles" men have not won a single fixture by more than a goal margin since January 11 when they successfully defeated Manchester City 2-0 at the St. Mary Stadium. Their past four wins are 2-1 against Everton and Blackpool respectively and 1-0 against Chelsea and Leicester City respectively.
• Southampton"s only other win which happens to be more than a goal margin is a 3-0 win which was recorded against Cambridge United in the EFL Cup in August 2022.
• Bournemouth have failed to score in their past three defeats; 0-3 against Aston Villa, 0-2 against Brighton, and 0-4 against West Ham.

Southampton vs Bournemouth key players

Southampton:

James Ward-Prowse (Southampton, 7 goals, 4.8xG), Che Adams(Southampton, 5 goals, 5.9xG)

Bournemouth:

Philip Billing (Bournemouth, 7 goals, 3.8xG), Dominic Solanke (Bournemouth, 5 goals, 8.2xG)

Southampton vs Bournemouth injuries

Southampton

Mohamed Salisu (Pelvic injury), Juan Larios(Thigh injury), Valentino Livramento.

Bournemouth

Hamed Traore (foot injury), Ryan Fredericks (calf injury), Junior Stanislas.

Southampton vs Bournemouth possible line-ups

Southampton

Southampton (4-4-2): Bazunu, Perraud, Bella Kotchap, Bednarek, Walker-Peters, Armstrong, Lavia, Ward-Prowse, Elyounoussi, Alcaraz, Walcott.

Bournemouth

Bournemouth(3-4-3): Neto, Kelly, Mepham, Stephens, Tavernier, Smith, Lerma, Rothwell, Billing, Christie, Solanke.

Main image credit Embed from Getty Images