Southampton v Plymouth predictions, betting odds and tips: Soaring Saints should shut out visitors

Where to watch Southampton v Plymouth

Sky Sports Football & Main Event, 6pm Friday

Best bet

Southampton to win to nil
3pts 6-4 general

Southampton v Plymouth odds

Southampton 1-3
Plymouth 17-2
Draw 19-4

Odds correct at time of publishing

Southampton v Plymouth team news

Southampton
Shea Charles returns from suspension but Juan Larios, James Bree, Ross Stewart and Kamaldeen Sulemana remain sidelined.

Plymouth
Striker Ryan Hardie will return if he passes concussion protocols and Dan Scarr is available after suspension. Mustapha Bundu is a doubt but Jordan Houghton (illness) could feature. Goalkeeper Michael Cooper is injured.

Southampton v Plymouth predictions

Southampton have enjoyed an excellent couple of weeks in the Championship and Russell Martin's men are hot favourites to continue their promotion charge with a home win over Plymouth.

Second-placed Ipswich have taken two points from three tough fixtures against Norwich, Leeds and Leicester so Southampton are lurking just five points off the automatic-promotion spots.

With fourth-placed Leeds losing at Preston on Boxing Day, and facing a tricky trip to West Brom, the league table looks increasingly encouraging for Southampton as they head into 2024.

Having finished bottom of the Premier League in 2022-23, Saints had a chaotic start to the Championship campaign under former Swansea boss Martin.

Their first home game was a 4-4 draw with Norwich and September's four-match losing streak included a 5-0 rout at Sunderland and a 4-1 home defeat to Leicester.

However, a 3-1 win over Leeds at St Mary's on September 30 marked the start of a 16-game unbeaten run and Saints should be backed to claim a fourth straight victory to nil when they host Plymouth.

They beat Blackburn 4-0 at home and won 1-0 at QPR in the lead-up to Christmas before thrashing Swansea 5-0 on Tuesday to make it four wins, and four clean sheets, in a row at home.

Three of the five goals against the Swans were scored by substitutes Ryan Fraser and Che Adams, an indication of the attacking depth of Southampton's squad, while classy centre-backs Jan Bednarek and Taylor Harwood-Bellis helped restrict the visitors to one shot on target.

Plymouth have scored eight goals in their last three matches against Cardiff, Birmingham and Rotherham although two of those opponents were reduced to ten men.

Last season's League One champions lost manager Steven Schumacher to Stoke just before Christmas and they have picked up just five points from 12 away matches this season.

Only nine of their 39 league goals have been scored away from Home Park and their last three away results under Schumacher were a 1-0 defeat at Coventry, a 4-0 loss at leaders Leicester and a 0-0 draw at struggling QPR.

Key stat

Plymouth have scored only nine goals in 12 Championship away games this season.

Probable teams

Southampton (4-3-2-1): Bazunu; Stephens, Harwood-Bellis, Bednarek, Manning; Smallbone, Downes, S Armstrong; Fraser, Edozie; A Armstrong
Subs: Walker-Peters, Aribo, Alcaraz, Adams, Mara, Holgate, Charles.

Plymouth (3-4-3): Hazard; Pleguezuelo, Galloway, Gibson; Kesler-Hayden, Cundle, Butcher, Mumba; Whittaker, Waine, Azaz
Subs: Houghton, Gillesphey, Randell, Miller, Scarr, Edwards, Hardie.

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