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Southampton vs Preston betting tips
- Southampton to win by one goal – 3/1 bet365
- Adam Armstrong to score any time – 11/10 BoyleSports
- Goal to be scored after 78:59 – 5/6 bet365
Southampton have a huge chance to crank up the pressure at the top of the Championship when they face Preston at St Mary’s Stadium on Tuesday evening (8pm, Sky Sports Main Event).
The race for promotion from the second tier is descending into chaos as Leicester, Ipswich and Leeds have all failed to grasp the initiative to punch their ticket to the Premier League.
The trio all failed to win at the weekend and the Saints have a chance to close the gap between themselves and the top two to four points by winning their game in hand on the sides above them.
Southampton left it late against Watford to secure a vital win last time out. Russell Martin’s side took a 2-0 lead, but the Hornets responded to level the scores five minutes from time.
But, Flynn Downes was the man on the spot in stoppage time with a huge goal for the Saints’ promotion hopes. Southampton remain an outside shot for automatic promotion on football betting sites and they will likely need to win out to return to the top flight at the first attempt.
Preston need a result themselves to keep alive their slim chances of reaching the play-offs. They suffered a damaging defeat to Norwich at the weekend, leaving them eight points behind the Canaries in sixth place.
The Lancashire-based outfit need three points at St Mary’s otherwise their promotion hopes are all but over.
Southampton to rack up a vital win
After losing to Ipswich at Easter, Southampton’s hopes of automatic promotion looked dead and buried.
The Saints have put their fans on a real rollercoaster ride this season. Martin’s men reeled off a 25-match unbeaten run to propel themselves into the race for the top two after a slow start to the campaign.
But, they began to unravel after defeats to Bristol City, Hull City and Millwall. After taking a 2-1 lead against Ipswich, the Saints had a good chance to establish themselves at the top of the standings, only to lose in the last minute.
Fate has handed Southampton a huge opportunity to propel themselves back to the Premier League. Leicester, Leeds and Ipswich have all stumbled, while the Foxes and the Whites both have to play the Saints in the run in.
Martin’s men have not been overly convincing in their back-to-back wins over Coventry and Watford, but after being handed a second chance, one they cannot afford to waste.
Preston will be a tough obstacle to overcome. Ryan Lowe’s side are a resilient outfit, and have conceded only one goal in their last five away games.
Southampton do have the quality to break down the Lilywhites, although they’ve proven they’re susceptible at the back, keeping only one clean sheet in their last nine league games. Betting sites have the Saints at 3/8 to win outright, but we’re anticipating another nervy night for the hosts.
We’re backing Southampton to edge out Preston by one goal at 3/1 with bet365.
Southampton vs Preston Tip 1: Southampton to win by one goal – 3/1 bet365
Armstrong to prove a point
Adam Armstrong only trails Sammie Szmodics in the Championship top goal scorer race, but he was overlooked in the Championship Team of the Year at last weekend's EFL awards in favour of Leeds United’s Georginio Rutter.
The Leeds man has notched six goals and has 15 assists to his name. But, compared to Armstrong, who has 20 goals and 12 assists, his statistics pale into insignificance.
The Southampton forward will feel aggrieved, and he can take his frustrations out on Preston on Tuesday night. Armstrong has endured a three game drought without a goal, although he did provide the opener for William Smallbone in the Saints’ win over Watford at the weekend.
To propel themselves back into the automatic promotion picture, Armstrong will have to lead from the front. Preston are not a team that ships goals easily, especially on the road where their backline has been outstanding of late.
Lowe’s teams are traditionally hard to break down, deploying men behind the ball and playing on the break. Therefore, Southampton are going to have to be clinical with their opportunities in front of goal.
Betting apps show Armstrong is the favourite among bookmakers to score first or any time, and we’re inclined to agree, with a bet on him to score any time at 11/10 with BoyleSports potentially the best option.
Southampton vs Preston Tip 2: Adam Armstrong to score any time – 11/10 BoyleSports
More late drama at St Mary’s?
Only Ipswich have scored more goals in the final 15 minutes of Championship matches than Southampton this season than the Saints, who notched another late goal in their win over Watford last time out.
It was the 22nd time Martin’s men have scored in the final 15 minutes, and they’ve needed those goals to sustain their push for a return to the top flight. They’ve won 16 points this season in the final 15 minutes, which has been evident of late in victories over Birmingham, Sunderland and the Hornets.
However, they’ve also been on the reverse side, conceding late to Middlesbrough and Ipswich at the cost of four points. There’s always late drama when the Saints are involved at both ends of the pitch.
Only Blackburn and Birmingham have shipped more late goals than Preston, so it appears there could be something brewing on the south coast late on Tuesday night. With these factors in mind, we're taking the 5/6 with bet365 for a goal to be scored after the 79th minute.
Southampton vs Preston Tip 3: Goal to be scored after 78:59 – 5/6 bet365
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Last Updated: 16th April 2024, 07:45 AM
