Friday 21st April 2023

Premier League

Arsenal v Southampton 20:00

  • Have met 91 times before, Arsenal 45, Draws 26, Southampton 20
  • Already played this season in the league, Southampton 1-1 Arsenal
  • Last season’s repeat fixture ended, Arsenal 3-0 Southampton
  • Both teams scored in 8 of the last 13 league-head-to-heads
  • 7 of the last 12 league head-to-heads went UNDER 2.5 GOALS
  • 4 RED CARDS in the last 11 head-to-heads
  • Arsenal are unbeaten at home to Southampton in the Premier League (23 games)
  • Southampton last beat Arsenal away in the league in 1987
  • Arsenal have scored in 12 of their last 13 league games vs Southampton
  • Arsenal have scored 2+ goals in 7 of their last 11 vs Southampton

Arsenal have let Man City back in the title race after letting a 2-goal lead slip against West Ham last weekend and the gap between the pair now is just 4 points, with City having a game in hand.

The Gunners can, however, keep up the pressure with a win on Friday night at home to struggling Southampton, who start this weekend bottom of the table.

They met earlier this season at St Mary’s and that ended 1-1 so the Saints will gain some hope from this, but this repeat fixture last year did end in a comfortable 3-0 home win for the Gunners.

You can back a repeat of this score at 13/2.

In fact, Arsenal are unbeaten at home to Southampton in their last 23 games – with the Saints last beating them away in the league in 1987!

Therefore, it’s no shock to see Arsenal as short as 2/11 in the match betting, with the draw 11/2 and Southampton at a massive 16/1 to cause the upset.

It’s also been a clash with 4 red cards in the last 11, so there might be some overspill from this.

Arsenal have also scored in 12 of their last 13 v Southampton and 2+ goals in 7 of their last 11 vs the Saints.

Both teams to score might appeal at 11/10 as this bet has paid out in 8 of the last 13 clashes, while 7 of the last 12 went Under 2.5 Goals, which is on the table at 13/8.

Looking at the scoring markets, Arsenal’s Jesus has hit the ground running since coming back from injury and can be backed at 3/1 (1st) or 5/6 (anytime).

Southampton’s shortest-priced player to find the back of the net is Sekou Mara at 16/1 (1st) or 11/2 (anytime).

Overall, it will be a huge shock if Arsenal are not getting back to winning ways here but backing them in the match betting won’t make you rich.

So, with Arsenal leaking a few goals now and Southampton having little to lose here. The ‘both teams to score’ @ 11/10 option looks fair value in a bet that has paid out in 8 of the last 13 meetings.

BEST BET: BOTH TEAMS TO SCORE @ 11/10