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Considering placing a Friday night bet builder? The Championship offers a primetime fixture between two newly-relegated sides, Southampton and Leicester City. Both are right up there in the promotion betting and will be eager to lay down a strong marker. Each team will be licking their wounds after losing their unbeaten records in the round of fixtures prior to the international break. Southampton, especially, will be keen to bounce back after being on the wrong end of a 5-0 hammering away to Sunderland.
We have got you covered with all the statistics you’ll need ahead of creating a Southampton vs Leicester bet builder, and you can visit our Stats Pack Guide for further information on how to extract value from the numbers below.
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Southampton vs Leicester Predicted Lineups
Plenty of options for Russell Martin
It doesn’t take Mystic Meg to work out what Southampton’s tactical approach is likely to be. Any team under the guidance of Martin is going to be strongly possession-orientated and he looks set to continue in a 4-3-3 system. Speedy attacker Kamaldeen Sulemana is back in contention after injury but will likely have to settle for a place on the bench.
Leicester to switch back to winning formula
Foxes boss Enzo Maresca made a strange switch to a 3-4-3 formation vs Hull which totally backfired. He should revert back to the 4-3-3 system which saw the Midlanders start the campaign with a 100% record. Both Tom Cannon and Dennis Praet are still injured.
Southampton vs Leicester Team Stats
Kings of possession face each other
The first thing to say about both teams is that they have been very possession-focussed. Saints average over 70% of the ball and Leicester 65%. Something will have to give here, most likely with the visitors playing more on the break. Both sides rank inside the top seven for cards issued, with Southampton being very dirty (21 cards).
Can Leicester handle the Saints?
Saints also rank first for average shots per game (18.60) with Leicester close to them in this category (17.60). Southampton have fired in 6.40 shots on target per 90 minutes which is the most of any team. They are one of the highest-scoring teams in the league but have conceded 12 times, the most of any side. Leicester have an impressive overall xGA of just 5.10 but their defence will have their work cut out against a strong attack.
Southampton vs Leicester Shots and Shots on Target Stats
Adam Armstrong shooting freely
Both Nathan Tella and James Ward-Prowse ranked high in the shooting department for Southampton but have now left the club. Striker Adam Armstrong has enjoyed a strong start to the season and is averaging a healthy 3.30 shots per 90. Samuel Edozie could be one to watch at left wing if he starts (1.40 shots per game). Both full backs Ryan Manning and Kyle Walker-Peters average one or more shots per 90 minutes so far.
Dewsbury-Hall firing in more advanced role
Leicester players have been regularly peppering the opposition’s goal. Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall has been playing in a slightly more advanced role this season and averages a whopping 3.60 shots per game. Both projected starters on the wing Stephy Mavididi and Kasey McAteer average close to a couple of shots per game as well, with Kelechi Iheanacho not far behind.
Southampton vs Leicester Goals and Assists Stats
Strike duo lead the way for hosts
Adam Armstrong leads the way for Saints with an impressive four goals in five games. Che Adams has racked up three goals in just 189 minutes of action and they are the clear standout players for the home team in this market. Left back Ryan Manning, who signed on a free from Swansea City in the summer, has supplied two assists.
Assists spread around the whole squad
Young winger Kasey McAteer and midfielder Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall have bagged a couple of goals each and are the early pace-setters for the Foxes in the scoring department. The assists have been spread around with six different players all supplying a goal so far. None of the strikers, Jamie Vardy or Kelechi Iheanacho, have hit the back of the net yet.
Southampton vs Leicester Passing Stats
Martin passing mania
Any team managed by Russell Martin is going to have a serious amount of possession. Southampton average a staggering 70.2% of the ball which is extraordinarily high for the Championship. Both full backs Ryan Manning and Kyle Walker-Peters have been heavily involved and average around the 90 passes per match mark.
Winks is one to think about
This match is between the two highest-ranked possession teams in the Championship so far this season. Leicester average over 65% of the ball but might have to be content with less on the road in a fixture like this one. Midfielder Harry Winks has been heavily involved, averaging over 90 passes per 90 minutes. Jannik Vestergaard is a defensive distributor and has also been racking up the passes.
Southampton Cards and Fouls Stats
Un-Saint like behaviour
The Saints have surprisingly been the dirtiest team in the Championship this season so far, racking up a massive 21 cards in five games. Russell Martin does not like his team to be out of possession and they press hard. Midfielder Will Smallbone averages 1.70 fouls per 90 and is an obvious candidate to give the referee some grief. Strikers Che Adams and Adam Armstrong are also options to give away some cheap free kicks.
Foxes wide players worth a look
Maresca will look to hurt the Saints in wide areas and the individual matchups down the flanks could be key in where this match is won and lost. Stephy Mavididi and McAteer will be very dangerous in transition if left unattended and could provoke fouls from the hosts’ backline.
Leicester Cards and Fouls Stats
Vestergaard making early impression with officials
Three yellows already in just five games is pretty good going from Jannik Vestergaard, and it will be tough for the Dane to rein it in against a fluid Saints forward line. Mavididi is a surprise name who has picked up two cards already despite joining after the season had begun.
Dribbly Saints to draw fouls at will
Edozie is a player to watch as one of the most prolific dribblers in the league. It is interesting to note that Kyle Walker-Peters has been targeted by opposition players so far this season, while Flynn Downes has also drawn free kicks since arriving on loan from West Ham United.
Southampton vs Leicester Key Matchups
Callum Doyle vs Kyle Walker-Peters
Harry Winks vs Flynn Downes
Ricardo Pereira vs Samuel Edozie
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