Southampton vs Chelsea Prediction: Blues to start strong on the South Coast

A spirited showing at Brighton & Hove Albion's Amex Stadium last Friday saw Southampton take a point home in a 1-1 draw, and Russell Martin's side should head into their Wednesday night (19:30, Amazon Prime Video) fixture with Chelsea at St Mary's Stadium with a renewed sense of optimism, even if they are up against a team unbeaten in the Premier League since October 20.

Below you can find my Southampton vs Chelsea prediction, complete with all the latest team news and match odds, ahead of this midweek game on the South Coast.

Team News

Martin is hopeful that towering centre-forward Paul Onuachu, who produced an impressive performance on his only start of the season so far in the 3-2 defeat to Liverpool on November 24, will be involved on Wednesday after missing out last Friday due to injury, while Jan Bednarek could also return to the squad after a two-game absence.

The Saints boss needs all the numbers he can get as three of his most important players - defender Taylor Harwood-Bellis, midfielder Flynn Downes and winger Tyler Dibling - are all serving a one-game suspension in midweek after picking up their fifth bookings of the campaign at Brighton.

Bednarek would replace Harwood-Bellis if passed fit, while Joe Aribo is set to stand in for Downes. Despite both Harwood-Bellis and Downes playing vital roles both last season and this, it's perhaps Dibling who will be missed most on Wednesday given his growing importance on the right-hand side of Saints' attack, taking the ball and running at defenders. Kamaldeen Sulemana is the most obvious candidate in terms of a like-for-like replacement, but Martin may opt for the experience of Ryan Fraser.

Football Odds

Chelsea are set to be without centre-back Wesley Fofana after the Frenchman was substituted on the hour mark of Sunday's 3-0 victory over Aston Villa due to injury. Benoit Badiashile, who replaced the 23-year-old against the Villans, and Tosin Adarabioyo, are potential replacements for Fofana.

The likes of Malo Gusto, Joao Felix and Noni Madueke could all come into Enzo Maresca's starting XI if the Italian decides to freshen things up amid a run of three games in seven days.

Southampton vs Chelsea Odds

*Please click on the link above to be taken to the main Southampton vs Chelsea page on betfred.com (or app) for all the live betting prices on this match.

Southampton are 8/1 to triumph for just the second time in the Premier League this season, giving Wednesday's hosts an implied win probability of 11.1%, while Chelsea are 1/3, or a 75% chance, to record a fifth away win in seven away games.

The draw is priced at 9/2, both teams to score at 4/6, and over 3.5 total goals at 1/1.

Chelsea star Cole Palmer is 19/20 favourite in the anytime goalscorer market, followed by teammates Nicolas Jackson (11/10) and Christopher Nkunku (21/20), with Onuachu and Adam Armstrong (both 3/1) first up for the visitors.

Price Boosts - Chelsea to Win Both Halves @ 7/4 2/1

Southampton showed tremendous resolve in November, scoring an 85th-minute winner in a 1-0 victory over Everton, pushing Liverpool all the way in a 3-2 defeat, and holding Brighton to a 1-1 draw at the Amex.

However, Martin's men are really up against it on Wednesday as they must contend without three of their best players this season - Harwood-Bellis, Downes and Dibling.

Harwood-Bellis' Premier League form earned him a first call-up to the senior England national team last month, and he duly delivered on his debut, scoring off the bench against the Republic of Ireland, while Downes struck Saints' all-important equaliser at Brighton last Friday.

Dibling, meanwhile, has been their most dangerous attacker, and he produced arguably his best performance last time out as he tormented the Seagulls' defenders, winning six free-kicks.

However, all three players are suspended for the midweek visit of Chelsea, which spells trouble for Southampton, who don't boast the squad of their opponents to deal with losing so many first-team stars.

The Blues, on the other hand, can cope with the absence of someone like Fofana, and the Blues are in rampant form after winning their last three games in all competitions, while they are now five unbeaten in the Premier League.

Chelsea outclassed Villa on Sunday, opening the scoring through Jackson in the seventh minute before Enzo Fernandez doubled their lead in the 36th minute. The third goal took a while to come but Palmer popped up in the 83rd minute to add some gloss to the scoreline and send a warning signal to the west London club's league rivals.

Strangely, Sunday was only the second time this season that they have won both halves of a Premier League game, the first coming on September 21 in a 3-0 victory over West Ham United when a Jackson brace put the Blues two up at half-time before Palmer added a third just after the interval.

As their win over Villa showed, though, Chelsea look to be stepping things up a notch, and Southampton could be unfortunate victims of a big defeat. Certainly, I think the visitors can win both halves, which has been boosted by Betfred from 7/4 to 2/1.

Result After 20 Minutes - Chelsea @ 7/4

As well as backing Chelsea to win the first half, I'm tipping the Blues to be in front after 20 minutes, as they have been in their last two Premier League fixtures, against Leicester City and Aston Villa. The Blues were ahead in the 15th minute against the Foxes through Jackson and the same man put Maresca's side in the lead in the seventh minute on Sunday.

Chelsea have also been ahead after 20 minutes in Premier League wins over Wolves, West Ham and Newcastle, while Southampton have been a goal behind after the same time on three occasions this term (v Bournemouth, Manchester City and Wolves).

The visitors are primed to make another fast start on the South Coast, with the Saints having to make at least three changes to their starting XI, which could unsettle the hosts in the early stages in particular.

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