The Saints’ miraculous season marches on. Southampton have bounced back very well from their recent losing skid to keep hold of their place in the top four. However, Arsenal have matched Southampton step for step during the busy winter period, and will be gunning to finally take fourth away from the Saints on New Year’s Day.
2015 is sure to begin with a bang as two of the top five teams in the league prepare to deliver some fireworks. Read on for our complete preview below. And for a breakdown of all the best New Year’s games, check out our weekly EPL picks column.
[sc:Soccer ]Southampton vs. Arsenal Betting Preview
Where: St. Mary’s Stadium, Southampton
When: Thursday, January 1, 10:00 AM ET
Line: Arsenal +130 at Southampton +172, tie +225; total 2.5 – view all EPL lines
What’s at Stake
Both teams are currently locked at 33 points, with Southampton ahead due to a superior goal difference. A win for either team will give them sole possession of fourth place.
Betting on Southampton
The Saints are back from the dead. After a horrendous dip in form which saw them lose five games in a row in all competitions – three of which against top-flight competition such as Arsenal – Southampton are very much back on track.
[sc:Soccer240banner ]They recorded very impressive back-to-back wins at home against Everton (3-0) and away to Crystal Palace (3-1) before holding leaders Chelsea to a 1-1 draw at St. Mary’s.
Morgan Schneiderlin, the veritable lynchpin of Southampton’s midfield, received a late red card against Chelsea and will miss the Arsenal game. But manager Ronald Koeman has displayed over the hectic festive period that his side can still function effectively even with constant changes to his midfield.
Sadio Mane scored the vital goal against Chelsea, his second in as many games. However, Southampton have been getting timely goals from everywhere of late, with three of their last seven scored by defenders.
Southampton lost 1-0 to Arsenal at the Emirates just a few weeks ago, but they were a little unlucky to concede so late in the game. The Saints have been a significantly tougher team at home, though, as only the two Manchester clubs have beaten them at St. Mary’s this season.
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Betting on Arsenal
If not for a Martin Skrtel equalizer late into injury time in their 2-2 draw against Liverpool, Arsenal would have swept their holiday schedule. The Gunners did make amends by winning their next two games by a 2-1 scoreline.
The first win came at home to QPR, where they went down to 10 men because of a silly Olivier Giroud sending off. The other more impressive win came away at West Ham as they dealt the red-hot Hammers their first home loss in a long time.
Midfielder Santi Cazorla, who scored the equalizer against West Ham from the penalty spot, has been in sparkling form this month with four goals in his last six Premier League starts. Cazorla could find himself with significantly more room to operate in midfield because of Schneiderlin’s absence in front of the Saints’ backline.
Arsenal will have to deal with a couple of absences themselves. Giroud will still be serving out his three-match ban, while fellow striker Danny Welbeck is doubtful with a thigh injury. But with strikers in Lukas Podolski and former Saint Theo Walcott waiting in the wings, the Gunners are well-equipped to make do without two of their top strikers.
Walcott could turn out to be the X-factor in the game, if he does feature. The striker has some fresh legs after recently returning from a serious knee injury and could cause a possibly leggy Southampton defense serious problems with his searing speed.
Writer’s Prediction
Arsenal deals Southampton another close 1-0 defeat.
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