The English Premier League 35 is scheduled this weekend, with two tantalizing match-ups this Saturday (April 29th), as league adversaries Southampton FC and Hull City square off at the St. Mary’s Stadium. The second pick of this Saturday’s fixtures will be an intriguing tussle between Stoke City and West Ham United, which will take place at the Britannia Stadium. Southampton will be looking to bounce back, after their disappointing English Premier league defeat to the league leaders Chelsea on Tuesday night, and West Ham visit the Britannia Stadium, with aspirations of qualifying for the next seasons Europa league, driven by their desire to play under the lights of their newly built Olympic Stadium.
SOUTHAMPTON FC vs. HULL CITY
3-Way: 1: Southampton FC -139; X: +309 Draw; Hull City +484
Spread +0.5: Southampton FC -143 ; Hull City +142
Total +2.5 : Over -116; Under +110
SOUTHAMPTON FC
The Southampton FC will entertain Hull City this weekend, knowing that the stats are on their side, as the Saint’s prepare to overcome the Tiger’s this Saturday. Southampton have come away with all three points, in all but one of their previous five league encounters with the Tigers, and the fun doesn’t stop there. The Saint’s have also been victorious in their last four home matches against the Hull City, and have found the net two or more times, in each of those matches played on home soil.
Domestically, home form for the Saints has been hard to come by, having only claimed all three points in six, of their fifteen matches played at the St. Mary’s Stadium this season. In addition, the club has found it difficult to find the net on home soil, only managing to net 35 goals throughout this campaign. Worst still, the Saints have struggled in attack, only managing seventeen goals from the front line, only the bottom three sides in the top flight have performed worse as hosts.
Southampton’s forward Charlie Austin is the clubs current top goalscorer, who has bagged a sum of nine goals, having spent 1,135 minutes on the pitch this season. Future star Nathan Redmond is the club’s second highest goal threat with seven to his name for this campaign. The Midfield maestro has enjoyed a meteoric rise to stardom of late, and has gained the ultimate recognition, by being selected for International duty, to represent England, earlier this year.
The Saint’s will have a number of absentees going into this Saturday’s showdown, Sam Mcqueen is the latest in a long list of casualties. The ex academy midfielder has picked up a groin strain, and has been declared unfit to compete against the Tiger’s this Saturday. Netherland’s International and stronghold defender Van Dyke is suspected to be out for the rest of the season, with a prolonged foot injury. Manager Claude Puel, will have to wait for top goalscorer Charlie Austin to make a return to the side. The Centre forward is currently recovering from a dislocated shoulder, an affliction that the striker suffered, during a recent Europa League skirmish.
HULL CITY FC
The Hull City FC visits the St. Mary’s Stadium, having not won away in a competitive clash against the Saints since 1951, the club has been on the losing side on ten occasions, out of their fifteen trips to Southampton since that memorable win, but that seems like a lifetime ago. However, Hull snatched a win the last time these two sides locked horns (2-1). That victory was the Tiger’s first in the league since the 20th August, which put an end to an abysmal run of six consecutive losses.
The Hull City has since lifted themselves out of the relegation zone, but only just. The Tiger’s are currently ranked 17th this season, two points clear of the drop zone. There is no doubt that Hull City is fighting for their top flight survival, and if they could collect all three points at the St. Mary’s this Saturday, they would go level on points with Burnley FC.
It will not be an easy task for Hull City. The club has lost their last five matches away from home, and is without a win in their last sixteen, the most recent of these punishing losses, came against opposition Stoke City (1:3), and Manchester City (1:3). In fact, the Tiger’s currently possesses the second worst away record in the Premier league, which has seen this side lose thirteen out of seventeen matches played. The signs are ominous for this team in turmoil.
Robert Snodgrass continues to impress this season, the striker has found the net a total of nine times, scoring a goal per 215 minutes played, on average this campaign. Fellow Uruguay International Abel Hernández, and Omar Niasse follow closely behind, with five goals each.
Senegalese Striker Niasse could make a return for Saturday’s English Premier League Round 35 fixture, as his three match ban has been overturned following Hull City’s appeal.
Tom Hiddleston and Michael Dawson could miss out on a place in the starting eleven, after the two players were dropped for Hull City’s recent 2:0 victory against Watford.
Southampton vs. Hull City Prediction
Southampton will be looking to exact revenge, for their crushing (1:2) away defeat to the Tiger’s, back in November. Retrospectively, the Hull City will hope to put daylight between themselves and the bottom three, by picking up all three point’s this Saturday.
Considering the Tigers abominable away form this season in the English Premier League, I would be inclined to back Southampton to clinch all three points this weekend. Only Burnley has cultivated fewer points away from home this season than Hull, and this struggling side has not claimed victory away to the Saints since 1951. Although, this contest hasn’t ended with a draw, in their ten previous clashes, so expect the goal’s to fly in this Saturday!!
MY PICK: Southampton FC (-139)
STOKE CITY vs. WEST HAM UNITED
3-Way: 1: Stoke City +116; X: +254 Draw; West Ham United +295
Spread -0.5: Stoke City +114 ; West Ham United +129
Total +2.5 : Over -110; Under +104
STOKE CITY FC
The Stoke City FC will welcome the Hammer’s to the Britannia Stadium this Saturday, knowing that a finish in the top half of the English Premier League is still a strong possibility. Manager Mark Hughes will also be privy to the fact, that momentum lies firmly with the visiting side, a recent run of form has seen Slaven Bilic’s Hammers side, string together a three match unbeaten streak, heading into the tie this Saturday.
The Potters appalling run of form has seen this side suffer five defeats in their last six competitive matches, but Stoke City is within touching distance of a top 10 finish, only one point adrift of league rivals Southampton, and this would provide a satisfying consolation, to what has been a disappointing English Premier League campaign for the Potter’s this season.
The Potter’s lost their last English Premier League encounter away to relegation side Swansea City (1:3), a result which is sure to have wounded a beleaguered looking Stoke City side. The Potter’s have won three of their previous five home matches, and seek to continue this winning trend at the Britannia Stadium on Saturday. The Club’s latest victory on home soil, came against the low flying Eagles, which was secured with a superb strike from Xherdan Shaqiri.
Mountainous front-man Peter Crouch is Stoke City’s top goalscorer this season, the striker has netted eight goals for the club in the English Premier League, and will be looking to add to his tally this weekend. Marko Arnautovic is one behind Peter Crouch in the goal-scoring chart, but the talented playmaker also has five assists to his name for the season. Mark Hughes will have to decide whether to reinstate Saido Berahino for this weekend’s clash, the striker has not scored for the club since arriving in January.
Stoke will enter this fierce clash with no new casualties. Dutch talisman Afellay is still out with a recurring knee problem, the midfielder suffered complications during rehab, that has extended his recovery period for the foreseeable future.
Attacking midfielder Jonathan Walters has a minor knee injury, but could still feature in this weekend’s crunch match.
WEST HAM UNITED FC
The West Ham United FC has had a disappointing season in the English Premier League up to now, the side is currently ranked 14th in the league, and is only seven points clear of the relegation zone. However, if this Hammer’s side can grind out a victory against the Potter’s, Slaven Bilic’s men will have the opportunity to climb five places up the table, which gives the Hammer’s an added incentive, going into this weekend’s showdown.
Away from home, West Ham is without a win in their last five games, and have only won once in their last ten home and away fixtures domestically. On the other hand, West Ham is unbeaten in their last three premier league encounters, one of which was a (1:0) home victory against relegation battling Swansea City.
The Hammers top goalscorer is powerhouse striker Michail Antonio, the club’s forward has found the net nine times in the Premier League this season, and will be looking to increase his total in this weekend’s away trip to Stoke City.
Andy Carroll comes in a close second, in the goalscoring race with a total of seven goals in this domestic season. The imposing striker has troubled opposition all season long, with his aerial superiority, offering West Ham a target to aim for at set pieces. This striker could be the difference between these two sides, when they go head to head this weekend.
Stoke City vs. West Ham United Prediction
There is plenty to play for when the Potters face the Hammer’s this Saturday in the English Premier League Round 35. Both teams will be looking to salvage some pride to sooth what has been a painful season, but three points could manifest into an top ten position, depending on the weekend’s other league results.
The last time these two teams met in the league, they both shared the spoils, but with so much at stake, one team will surely emerge as the victor. Personally, it is hard to see this one ending goalless, both teams possess great attacking talent, therefore I would put my bottom dollar on this game producing at least two or more goals. Let’s hope it rains goals this Saturday!!
MY PICK: Over 2.5 goals (-110)
Additional Pick: Both teams to score YES (-130)
