Southampton vs Bournemouth Prediction: Team News and Lineups

​​Josh Ingram is on hand to look at an all south coast affair in this Southampton vs Bournemouth prediction betting preview at St Mary’s Stadium. Even after Southampton’s positive result against Ipswich in their last league game, many of their fans won’t be holding out hope for a great escape, with Bournemouth waiting in the wings to likely bring the Saints crashing back to reality. 

It’s an expressive, free flowing, hard-working Bournemouth team that might be dusting off their passports for a continental tour next season. On paper, they should make light work of the worst team the Premier League has seen for several years by racking up the goals in this one. 

Southampton vs Bournemouth Prediction: A case of how many for the Cherries

England, Premier League, Saturday, February 15th, 15:00 (UK)

Southampton plunged to new depths of despair this past weekend, losing 1-0 to Scott Parker’s Burnley. The Clarets are currently in the hunt for promotion to the division the Saints will likely finish bottom of. Even though losing to a team in the league below is another shocking result for  Southampton, Juric said, “I’m frustrated with the result. I think we did a really good performance… We were really bad to score the goal. We had lots of moments, lots of chances, lots of free-kicks near their area, and we weren’t able to score” 

It is telling that he thinks a 1-0 loss where they had 10 shots, four of which were from a distance, was a good display. It’s a damning indictment of the state of play surrounding the struggling Saints boss. 

You couldn’t get a more extreme contrast when comparing the feelings surrounding the two clubs meeting on the weekend. The Cherries are chasing a European spot while playing some of the best football in the country. Even in their defeat to Liverpool, they could have easily managed a draw from that game if the in-form Justin Kluivert converted the open goal opportunity that he put in row Z. It is a testament to the job Andoni Iroloa has done that they will be a genuine contender to win every game they feature in now while playing his brand of football without compromise.

No Scraping Wins

Bournemouth have not just been scraping wins and getting by. They have been scoring and creating chances for fun. There is a clear difference in goal numbers between them at the Vitality compared to them away from home. On the road, their matches see an average of 3.58 goals, with Bournemouth contributing 2.00. Whereas, at home, it’s 2.17, with 1.42 for the Cherries. They have scored three or more goals in three of their 12 away days. When these sides last met, Bournemouth won 3-1 with goals from Evanilson, Semenyo and Ouattara. 

It’s an angle I’ve taken before to some success at St Marys this season. Defensively, Southampton are so suspect and lack solidity to keep them in games at this level. They possess the worst record in the Premier League, with 53 goals conceded in 23 games. Their stadium is anything but a fortress, more like an open house, as they average 2.73 goals conceded per game, letting a goal in at a rate of every 33 minutes played. 

Opposing teams have scored three or more on 64% of occasions when travelling to Southampton. Due to the number of goals teams have scored, I wouldn’t put people off taking some of the Cherries forwards to score or to register a brace. Instead, I’m predicting that Bournemouth run riot with three or more goals for a safer option.

• Southampton vs Bournemouth Prediction:  Bournemouth Over 2.5 Goals (TRACKED BET) 
• Best Odds: 2.50
• Bookmaker: bet365
• Stake: 10/10 (TRACKED BET) 

Southampton vs Bournemouth Prediction odds via bet365 as at 12:00, February 12th, 2025. Odds may now differ.

Southampton vs Bournemouth Team News: Saints short at centre back and Cherries squad still thin

It was sad to see Jack Stephens go off injured just nine minutes after coming on at halftime. The Saints skipper was back on the pitch for the first time in two months and is now set for another spell on the sidelines. He has been hampered by injuries all season, participating in just 11 games. Another defensive injury for an already poor Southampton backline is Taylor Harwood-Bellis, who was forced off against Ipswich with an ankle injury and subsequently missed the FA Cup game against Burnley; he is touch-and-go or this one. 

Bournemouth are still relatively threadbare in regards to squad depth, with only Marcus Tavenier making his way back to fitness in the past couple of games. So, it’s likely a similar, or, if not identical, lineup in the valiant loss to Liverpool with a bench full of youngsters alongside Tavenier and Jebbison. Despite the depleted squad, it hasn’t stopped the Cherries from collecting scalps across the Premier League season. Luis Sinisettra is close to returning after his injury, while Alex Scott, Julian Araujo, and Adam Smith are ramping up their recovery schedules in the next couple of weeks. Marcos Senesi is still at least a month away from being available, but it’s hard to see how he displaces either of the faultless centre-backs currently in the eleven. 

Southampton possible starting lineup:
Ramsdale; Bree, Bednarek Wellington; Walker-Peters, Aribo, Ugochukwu, Sugawara; Fernades, Dibling, Sulemana

Bournemouth possible starting lineup:
Arrizabalaga; Cook, Zabarnyi, Huijsen, Kerkez; Christie, Adams, Brooks, Kluivert, Semenyo; Ouattara

Match Stats: Saints short of goals

• Bournemouth went 3-0 up in the first half in the previous meeting this season and eventually won 3-1. 
• Southampton has the lowest top scorer in the Premier League with just three goals, and that’s midfielder Joe Aribo. Adam Armstong, who left on loan, had two goals.
• The Cherries heavy pressing, front-foot style football has them top the league for most fouls per game at 13.5 and the second most interceptions per game at 9.7. 

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