Southampton vs Ipswich Preview

• Draw
• Under 3.5 goals

Southampton’s Struggles Continue

St Mary’s has been a gloomy place for Southampton fans since their return to the Premier League, with the Saints suffering a fourth consecutive league defeat in their most recent outing against Manchester United. Southampton, along with Everton, are the only teams yet to register a point this season.

However, there may be a glimmer of hope, as the Saints also lost their first four games after their last promotion in 2012/13 but managed to finish the season in 14th place.

Russell Martin’s side will be hoping to turn their fortunes around as they host fellow promoted team Ipswich Town.

Unfortunately for the Saints, they failed to pick up a point against Ipswich in the Championship last season, and Martin himself has a poor head-to-head (H2H) record against Ipswich, having gone winless in four meetings (D2, L2). The only team Martin has faced more often without ever securing a win is Middlesbrough.

Ipswich’s Slight Advantage

Ipswich Town, like Southampton, are still searching for their first win of the season (D2, L2). The Tractor Boys may have a slight advantage heading into this fixture as they did not have midweek cup duties, giving them more time to prepare.

Ipswich manager Keiran McKenna will be encouraged by their hard-fought 0-0 draw against Brighton last weekend, although the overall performance of the newly promoted sides this season has been disappointing, with just four points collected between the three of them after four rounds.

McKenna will hope his side can boost their return with a win, especially considering Ipswich’s strong historical record against Southampton in the Premier League. Ipswich have won more Premier League games against Southampton (five) than against any other side.

They also won 1-0 at St Mary’s last season, but the Tractor Boys haven’t managed back-to-back away league wins against Southampton since 1980.

Key Players to Watch

Yukinari Sugawara (Southampton)

Sugawara is Southampton’s only league scorer this season, but he is part of a defence that has struggled immensely, having trailed for more minutes than any other team in the league this term (208 minutes, 15 seconds).

Sugawara will need to step up both defensively and offensively if the Saints are to turn things around.

Liam Delap (Ipswich Town)

Delap has been Ipswich’s most recent league scorer but has also proven to be a bit of a disciplinary liability, having picked up yellow cards in three of his last five appearances for both club and country.

Delap’s physical presence will be key for Ipswich, but he’ll need to keep his discipline in check to avoid leaving his team in a vulnerable position.

Southampton’s Defensive Woes and Ipswich’s History

• Southampton’s form: Four consecutive league defeats, with the team trailing for more minutes than any other side in the Premier League.
• Russell Martin’s H2H record against Ipswich: Winless in four games (D2, L2).
• Ipswich’s Premier League record against Southampton: Ipswich have won five Premier League games against Southampton, more than any other club.

Ipswich’s Away Challenges and Promoted Teams’ Struggles

• Ipswich’s away record against Southampton: Ipswich won 1-0 at St Mary’s last season but haven’t managed back-to-back away league victories against Southampton since 1980.
• Promoted sides’ struggles: All three promoted teams have combined for just four points after four Premier League rounds.

Conclusion

Both Southampton and Ipswich are in desperate need of their first league wins of the season, making this match crucial for both sides.

Southampton will be hoping to end their losing streak, while Ipswich will look to capitalise on their favourable historical record against the Saints. With both teams struggling, this could be a tightly contested fixture.

Prediction: A low-scoring draw, with both sides battling for points but struggling to find the clinical edge.

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Southampton v Ipswich, 2024/25 | Premier League