EPL Match Preview – Southampton vs Everton [VIDEO]

Two teams who opened their campaigns with what would seem disappointing draws will look to kick their seasons into full gear with this weekend’s match at St. Mary’s Stadium.

Southampton were outplayed for the majority of the first-half against Newcastle, but managed to score against the run of play before a deserved equaliser saw the first 45 end level. A much more even second 45 saw another goal for each side, though on the balance of play the Saints would have been the happier with the point.

Everton opened their 2015-16 season with a draw against the newly promoted Watford, coming twice from behind to snatch a draw in a game that, on paper, most would have expected to be a far more comfortable outing ending with three points.

Both teams’ managers will be looking for a much tighter defensive performance from their sides, having each conceded twice already with sterner tests to come. Both also appear to still be looking at further additions for their squads before the window shuts, so the next few games could see current players competing for their position in the squad.

Key Battle – Séamus Coleman vs Cédric Soares

Both Southampton and Everton rely a lot on their fullbacks for their attacking play, making marauding runs in behind the opposition’s defence and whipping balls across the box to allow their powerful forwards to score. Unfortunately, there have been injuries to the left-flank of these defensive lines, Southampton are missing Ryan Bertrand and the Toffees are without talisman Leighton Baines.

Replacing these two are 19-year-old Matt Targett for the Saints, and Brendan Galloway for Everton. While promising, the youngsters are far from offering the same attacking prowess as the experienced campaigners they are deputising for.

Coleman and Cédric were both involved heavily in their respective sides’ opening goals on the weekend, the pace and ability on the ball of this pair is often relied on to unlock an opposition defence. Essentially, significant portions of the attacking play will come from the right-fullbacks, suggesting that the side which right-back has the better game is the favourite for the win.

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Team News

It will be interesting to see how each manager tinkers with his line-up, as it would appear substitutes Shane Long and Arouna Koné may have done enough for their respective sides to see themselves inserted into the starting XI.

Both Bertrand and Baines seem all but certain not to feature, giving continuing runs to their young replacements. Roberto Martínez announced midweek that Gerard Deulofeu and Muhamed Besić could be fit to travel to St. Mary’s, but conversely that Kevin Mirallas may miss-out with an ankle injury. Steven Naismith seems the most likely to replace the Belgian, given the lack of depth on the width, unless Martínez has an out of character change in formation.

Southampton expected XI (4-2-3-1): Stekelenburg (GK), Targett, Yoshida, Fonte (c), Cédric, Davis, Wanyama, Rodriguez, Mané, Tadić, Pellè

Everton expected XI (4-2-3-1): Howard (GK), Galloway, Jagielka (c), Stones, Coleman, Barry, McCarthy, Naismith, Cleverly, Barkley, Lukaku

Head-to-head

76 previous meetings in the top flight see Everton having the better of the record coming out on top on 38 occasions, or exactly 50% of the matches. The other half of those games are split with 22 wins for the Saints, and the remaining 16 draws.

Previous meeting

These two last met back in April when a struggling Everton side earned themselves an important three points, with captain Phil Jagielka grabbing the only goal of the game. Going on top in the 16th minute, the Toffees played defensively for the majority, able to ward-off the continual tide of Saints’ attacks.

Prediction

A tight affair that will be opened up by some individual brilliance or defensive error. Either side is more than capable of clawing back from a deficit, so it will be more a question of whether they can do so before leaving themselves too exposed at the back. A draw seems the likely outcome from these sides, who are definitely far from hitting their form in the new campaign.

Southampton 1 Everton 1