The Saints put themselves back into a strong position to make it through to the knockout stage of the competition with a win over inter Milan last time out. Now they go up against group leaders Sparta Prague and this is one of those occasions where a draw wouldn’t be a bad result for the Premier League side as that would keep them in second place. As long as the Saints earn more points that Hapoel do on Thursday night, they will be through. However, while the Saints hammered Sparta on match day one, they haven’t scored away from home yet. Southampton are 23/20 for the win, with the draw at 23/10 and Sparta Prague at 12/5.
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Sparta Prague v Southampton Betting Tips
Sparta Prague have averaged 2.5 goals per home league game this season and will likely give the Saints a tough test. After losing against Southampton on match day one, the Czech outfit have won three on the bounce in the UEFA Europa League and so are running in some fine form at the moment. If they land a win then they will be through to the next round as group winners so this is a big night for them and that will make life even harder for Southampton. However, Sparta haven’t beaten an English opponents since back in 1983 and suffered that 3-0 loss against Southampton back at St Mary’s this season. It may be worth looking at the game to go over 2.5 goals with Bet365 for a price of 23/20 here, just because how well the Czech’s have gone at home. Sparta have a W8 D2 L1 record at home this season in all competitions and have won their last four there to nil.
You can actually back Sparta at a price of 5/1 with Bet365 to win to nil in this one and there is something in that because Southampton have failed to score in any of their last three away games in Europe and have netted in just one of their last eight out on the road. Sprat hold a W3 D4 L12 (at home W2 D2 L5) against English opposition. They haven’t beaten a Premier League side in any of their last 15 attempts now but they are unbeaten in four European home matches this season and so far, they have trumped in both of their Group K home fixture by two goal margins. In the anytime goalscorer market you have Sofiane Boufal running at a price of 2/1 to net. If you wanted to go with both teams to score in this one that is a price of 19/20. Sparta have been to the knockout stage of the competition in three of their last four campaigns and would get through with a draw here.
So Sparta are going to be tough to beat here. So the Saints have picked up a 0-0 draw and two 1-0 defeats out on the road this season in Europe. They have struggled for goals out on the road and that puts them at risk here. The Saints have won just two of their last seven games played across all competitions and only once in that sequence have managed to score more than one goal in a game, which was in their 2-1 win over Inter on Match Day Four of the Europa League. So they aren’t running in top form at the moment but Charlie Austin is a price of 7/5 in the anytime goalscorer market, with Shane Long, Nathan Redmond and Jay Rodriguez all at the 2/1 mark. The Saints have bagged just two clean sheets in their last eight in all competitions and may find the going tough in this one.
Who will win – Sparta Prague v Southampton Predictions
Both would be relatively happy with a draw at the end of the day. Sparta would be through and the Saints would be on the brink of joining them. The only way that Saints can guarantee progress is with a win and Hapoel failing to beat Inter on the night. However, it may just be worth settling on the score draw in this one. The Saints haven’t produced out on the road and are therefore a risk, but they can dig in there and grind out a point.