Check out our 21/10 Southampton vs Manchester United prediction below
What a difference even just one game of football can make. Rarely has the mood around a team taken such a marked shift in momentum as around United after Monday night's win over Liverpool.
Having stunk the place out in their opening two games, United didn't look capable of beating any side in the division but they now head to St Mary's as worthy odds-on pokes (31/40 with Betway) to back up Monday's success. Southampton are are 16/5 to follow up their 2-1 win at Leicester last weekend.
The club's ownership issues will always continue to rumble away in the background but on the pitch, there was so much for United fans to be positive about from the Liverpool game. Not least a defensive unit that inspires confidence. The partnership of Raphael Varane and Lisandro Martinez isn't flawless but the latter in particular already looks just the sort of warrior the fans will love.
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Harry Maguire is still likely to come in for games in which United are expected to dominate possession because he's the most progressive ball player United have in that position - for all that he's not particularly popular among all the fans.
It was a huge night for Marcus Rashford too - a player who was completely written off by huge sections of the fanbase. Rashford has looked utterly devoid of confidence for months now but he looked a revitalised performer on Monday. Not only did he show the sort of desire the fans have been craving - he topped running and sprinting stats on the night - but the confidence he will surely take from finishing that gilt-edged one-on-one with Alisson can surely only act as a springboard for him now.
After a quiet summer on the transfer front, many observers felt that Southampton would be relegation candidates this term and of course, they could very well become that. However, after a 4-1 thumping at Spurs on the opening day, the Saints have picked up four points from fixtures against Leeds (H) and Leicester (A) despite having not exceeded an xGF of 1.0 on any of their games so far.
Southampton are outperforming their xG levels so far (admittedly, from a tiny sample size) so for all that they have major goal threats in their ranks, it will be disappointing for the Reds if they can't contain a side that lost six of their last seven home games last year (including an FA Cup defeat). This looks a real opportunity for Erik ten Hag's side to build on the momentum they built on Monday.
Southampton vs Manchester United prediction
The big selection dilemma for Erik ten Hag will be whether to bring in new signing Casimero. The former Real Madrid man would surely have walked straight into the side before Monday but Ten Hag might well decide that the same group of players earned the right to start this game.
Either way, if United don't recoil to their old ways, then they should have enough to get the points here. The 31/40 about an away win wouldn't be an appealing single wager for most, so let's boost the away win odds to just over 2/1 by combining the away win with both teams to score (yes).
Southampton have failed to score only once (against Chelsea in April) in this calendar year and they are much more likely to target United's lack of height on that left-hand side of the defense than Liverpool did.
Southampton vs Manchester United prediction: United to win and BTTS (yes) - 21/10 with Betway
Southampton vs Manchester United odds from Betwa
- Southampton - 16/5
- Draw - 3/1
Manchester United - 31/40
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