West Brom vs Southampton betting tips, BuildABet, best bets and preview

Football betting tips: Championship

1.5pts Under 2.5 goals at 10/11 (William Hill)

0.5pts Adam Armstrong to be shown a card a 10/1

Sky Bet odds | Paddy Power | Betfair

Kick-off time: 20:00 GMT, Friday

TV channel: Sky Sports Football

West Brom’s fleeting form is the reason they are not closer to Friday’s opponents Southampton.

Although there is only one team between the pair, 12 points separate them.

The Baggies have not strung together a winning streak longer than three games this term, which is largely down to their polar opposite home and away form.

Carlos Corberan’s side have taken 36 points at the Hawthorns (3rd best in league) but only 16 points on the road (15th fewest).

Friday’s host cruised past Cardiff in midweek. It was the perfect response to the 2-2 draw at Portman Road at the weekend where, despite leading twice, West Brom conceded late to share the spoils.

The Saints lost 3-1 at Ashton Gate on Wednesday, a defeat that brought an end to their 25-game unbeaten run. It also saw Russell Martin’s side slip out of the automatic spots at the expense of Leeds.

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Following the eight-goal thriller with Huddersfield at the weekend, the Saints have shipped six goals across their last three hours off football.

While the defensive issues will need to be addressed, only Leicester have scored more goals than Southampton this season.

The visitors’ attacking credentials will come under scrutiny in the Black Country though, West Brom have only conceded 29 times, keeping nine clean sheets in their 16 home league games.

It is why siding with UNDER 2.5 GOALS appeals on Friday.

Martin, keen to address the Saints porous backline, may tighten up.

West Brom’s home games against the top three have been tight. They beat Leeds 1-0 and lost 2-1 to Leicester after conceding deep into stoppage time from their own corner.

Southampton have the poorest disciplinary record in the Championship picking up 78 bookings and two red cards.

With the Saints starting the weakened two points adrift of Leeds in second, the stakes are high on Friday so the cards could fly.

Referee Sam Allison is usually pretty obliging, dishing out 4.2 cards per game in the second tier this term and the last Friday night fixture he took charge of saw five yellows flashed.

ADAM ARMSTRONG has picked up six cards this term for fouls, arguments and time wasting. He looks as good a price as any player TO BE SHOWN A CARD if it gets heated at the Hawthorns.

Okay Yokuslu doesn’t mind getting stuck, in averaging 1.4 tackles and 0.8 fouls per 90.

The midfielder has been carded six times and committed at least two fouls on five occasions, three of which coming against the current top three.

Team news

Corberan spoke about the importance of squad depth after the win on Wednesday. Jed Wallace and Andreas Weimann both came off the bench, the latter scoring and both could be rotated in on Friday.

Nathaniel Chalobah also made his return from injury but is unlikely to dislodge the pairing of Alex Mowatt and Okay Yokuslu in midfield.

Che Adams is back available for Southampton after missing the defeat to Bristol City. He could make an instant return to the XI at the expense of David Brooks. This would potentially see top goalscorer Adam Armstrong moved back onto the right side of a front three.

Flynn Downes is an injury doubt which would see Joe Rothwell continue in central midfield.

Predicted line-ups

West Brom: Palmer; Furlong, Kipre, Pieters, Townsend; Yokuslu, Mowatt; Wallace, Weimann, Johnston; Thomas-Asante.

Southampton: Bazunu; Walker-Peters, Harwood-Bellis, Bednarek, Manning; Smallbone, Rothwell, S. Armstrong; A. Armstrong, Mara, Fraser.

Match facts

• West Bromwich Albion have lost five of their last six league matches against Southampton, winning the other 3-0 at home in April 2021.
• This is Southampton’s first league visit to West Brom in the Championship since April 2008, when they drew 1-1 with Adam Lallana netting their goal.
• West Bromwich Albion are unbeaten in their last 11 home league games played on a Friday (W7 D4) since losing 1-0 to Chelsea in May 2017, which secured the Blues the Premier League title.
• Southampton’s 22-game unbeaten league run came to an end with a 3-1 loss at Bristol City. The Saints last suffered consecutive defeats earlier this season in September (four in a row).
• Southampton have conceded three goals in each of their last two Championship games (5-3 vs Huddersfield, 1-3 vs Bristol City), conceding more in those games than in their previous 12 combined (5).
• The Saints haven’t shipped 3+ goals in three league games in a row outside the top-flight since September 1965.

Odds correct 1400 GMT (15/02/24)

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