Southampton vs Everton Preview: Team News & Prediction | 2024-25 English Premier League | Must-win for Saints?
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The Saints go in search of that elusive Premier League victory as they welcome an improved Everton outfit to St. Mary's Stadium on Saturday.
KICK-OFF DATE/TIME: Saturday 2nd November, 2024: UK – 3:00pm / US ET – 11:00am / US PT – 8:00am
HOW TO WATCH ON TV: UK – Not televised / US – USA Network
HOW TO WATCH ONLINE: UK – Cannot be streamed / US – Fubo
SOUTHAMPTON PREVIEW: CUP QUARTER-FINAL BUT LEAGUE WOES CONTINUE
The wait for a Premier League win goes on for Southampton as, despite being showered with praise from opposition manager Pep Guardiola, the Saints ultimately lost 1-0 to the champions last weekend and they sit bottom of the table with just a single point to show for their efforts.
There was some respite in the Carabao Cup midweek though, with the Saints fending off the challenge of Championship outfit Stoke to make it into the quarter-finals.
EVERTON PREVIEW: UNBEATEN IN FIVE
Substitute Beto scored an injury-time equaliser against Fulham last weekend to extend Everton's unbeaten run to five games and there is now a healthy five-point buffer between themselves and the relegation zone heading into the weekend.
With just one goal conceded in their last three games, Sean Dyche is imprinting his usual solid-at-the-back style on the Toffees, but Dominic Calvert-Lewin's poor form in front of goal is something of a concern right now with the 27-year-old having failed to score in his last five games.
SOUTHAMPTON TEAM NEWS: ILLNESS OUTBREAK
Gavin Bazunu, Will Smallbone and Ross Stewart will definitely miss the visit of the Toffees with their respective injuries.
There has been an illness in the Saints camp this week, with a number of players battling to recover in time for this fixture.
PREDICTED XI (4-2-3-1): Ramsdale; Sugawara, Stephens, Bednarek, Walker-Peters; Aribo, Downes; Dibling, Lallana, Fernandes; Archer
UNAVAILABLE: Bazunu (Injured), Smallbone (Injured), Stewart (Injured)
QUESTIONABLE: Stephens (Illness), Downes (Illness), Manning (Illness), Fraser (Illness)
EVERTON TEAM NEWS: DOUCOURE & MCNEIL TO BE ASSESSED
Abdoulaye Doucoure and Dwight McNeil are both carrying knocks so could miss out, while Dyche has to decide whether to keep faith with the misfiring Calvert-Lewin up front.
Jarrad Branthwaite is likely to come into central defence at some point, but James Tarkowski and Michael Keane have operated well as a partnership and could be trusted once more.
PREDICTED XI (4-2-3-1): Pickford; Young, Tarkowski, Keane, Mykolenko; Mangala, Gueye; Harrison, McNeil, Ndiaye; Calvert-Lewin
UNAVAILABLE: Garner (Injured), Iroegbunam (Injured), Chermiti (Injured), Broja (Injured)
QUESTIONABLE: Doucoure (Injured), McNeil (Injured)
SOUTHAMPTON VS EVERTON PREDICTION
If Southampton are to have any hope of surviving in the Premier League - a prospect that is looking increasingly unlikely as the weeks go by - then they simply have to be winning fixtures like this, especially at home.
However, Everton are much-improved of late and will see this as a winnable contest themselves. With the Toffees' new-found solidity at the back, this is an encounter that could be short of goals so consider under 2.5 in this one.
SOUTHAMPTON VS EVERTON TIP: UNDER 2.5 GOALS
