Couple of weeks from now we will all probably miss the English Premier League soccer as the final round of the season is on schedule on Sunday. Before players go on the well deserved summer break rests, we shall try to exploit these couple of match-ups left in order to get some money in our pockets. Here, we have prepared for you the match-ups at the St. Mary’s between Southampton and Stoke and at the Anfield between Liverpool and Middlesbrough so let’s take a closer look.
SOUTHAMPTON FC vs. STOKE CITY FC
3-Way: 1: Southampton FC -123; X: +300 Draw; 2: Stoke City FC +400
Spread -0.5: Southampton FC -125; Stoke City FC +121
Total +2.5: Over -118; Under +114
SOUTHAMPTON FC
The Southampton FC team will finish just below the line that separates the teams that will play in one of the European League competitions next year and ones that won’t. Nevertheless, the fans are not completely unsatisfied having in mind the fact that team played in the final game of EFL Cup this season where they were defeated by Manchester United, 2:3.
Team collected 46 points in 37 games of the English Premier League and their overall record at home this season was 6-6-6. Recently, the Saints haven’t played very well as they are 2-3-3 in the last eight match-ups including a goalless 0-2-2 streak at home. Goal difference at St. Mary’s is 17-20 (41-47 overall) and the team ranks 16th in the home league table with 24 of 54 possible points earned. 61% of their home matches had under 2.5 goals and 78% of their home games had under 3.5 goals while both teams managed to score in only 39% of the games at home soil. Most common result at home is a 0:0 draw (occurred four times) while most common score at the halftime was 0:0 (occurred ten times).
Nathan Redmond tops the team in scoring with seven goals scored in the English Premier League while Charlie Austin has six in his account. Midfielder Dusan Tadic is the team’s leading assister with five while passing segment belongs to Oriol Romeu with 1619 total passes. Goalie Fraser Foster (37 appearances) collected 76 saves along with 14 games with clean sheets.
Alex McCarthy (Hamstring), Virgil van Dijk (Foot) and Shane Long (Metatarsal fracture) are unavailable for Sunday while Ryan Bertrand (Muscle) and Cedric Soares (Muscle) will have late fitness tests.
STOKE CITY FC
The Stoke City FC is experiencing a bad spell when it comes to their recent form as the team has only one win in last ten games in the English Premier League. Solid first part of the season secure the survival although it did get a little bit bumpy from time to time.
Currently, the team ranks 14th in the English Premier league table with 41 points in 37 games and they could advance couple spots if the results go their way on Sunday. The team is 1-2-5 in last eight games and 0-1-3 in last four road matches while overall record on the road this season is 3-5-10. Goal difference outside the Britannia stadium 16-32 (40-56 overall) and team ranks 12th in the road league table with 14 of 54 possible points earned. 61% of their road games had under 2.5 goals and 60% of their away matches had under 3.5 goals in total while both teams managed to score in every second Stoke City’s road match-up. Most common scores away were 1:1 draw and 1:0 loss (both occurred three times) while most common scores at halftime were 1:0 trail and 0:0 (both occurred five times).
Three players top the scoring segment this season with six goals each (Joe Allen, Marko Arnautovic and Peter Crouch) while Arnautovic also collected team-high five assists. Passing segment belongs to Erik Pieters with 1276 total passes while goalkeepers Lee Grant (28 appearances), Jack Butland (four appearances) and Shay Given (five appearances) have 120 total saves and 10 games with clean sheets combined.
Stephen Ireland (Leg) and Ibrahim Afellay (Knee) are unavailable for Sunday while Marko Arnautovic (Elbow) will have a late fitness test.
SOUTHAMPTON FC vs. STOKE CITY FC – Match Prediction
Small number of goals in total would be my bet here having in mind that no team has the result imperative.
MY PICK: Under 2.5 goals in total (+114)
LIVERPOOL FC vs. MIDDLESBROUGH FC
3-Way: 1: Liverpool FC -667; X: +830 Draw; 2: Middlesbrough FC +2800
Spread -2.5: Liverpool FC +108; Middlesbrough FC -111
Total +3.5: Over +121; Under -130
LIVERPOOL FC
The Liverpool team has the upper hand over the Gunners when it comes to the battle for one more vacant Champions League spot with one point more (73 points in 37 matches oppose to Arsenal’s 72 points in same number of matches) but they will have to take the full prey on Sunday against the relegated Boro’ team if they want to keep it that way.
The Reds are 5-2-1 in the last eight games but they are only 1-2-1 in the last four matches in the English Premier League when playing in front of their own crowd. Overall record at Anfield is 11-5-2 with 42-18 goal difference (75-42 overall) and the team ranks sixth in the home league table with 38 of 54 possible points earned. 67% of Liverpool’s home games had over 2.5 goals and every second home match had over 3.5 goals in total while both teams scored in 72% of their home soil matchups. Most common results at home were 2:2 draw and 4:1 win (all occurred twice) while most common score at the halftime was 0:0 (occurred four times).
Sadio Mane tops the team in scoring with 13 goals scored in the English Premier League while Philippe Coutinho and Roberto Firmino have 12 and 11 goals in their accounts. Georginio Wijnaldum collected team-high eight assists while James Milner spreads his magic in the midfield with team-high 2045 total passes. Goalkeepers Simon Mignolet (27 appearances) and Loris Karius (10 appearances) collected 69 saves with 11 games with clean sheets combined.
Danny Ings (Knee), Adam Bogdan (ACL Knee), Jordan Henderson (Plantar Fasciitis) and Sadio Mane (Cartilage knee) are out for Sunday while Roberto Firmino (Muscle) will have the late fitness test.
MIDDLESBROUGH FC
The Middlesbrough FC is one of the three teams that are moving to lower level of competition in England, the Championship. Many injuries and consistent low form has had a big cost for the team from north of the England and now they face themselves with another disappointing year in the English Premier League.
Team has only one victory in this calendar year (since December 17th 2016) in the streak that lasts 20 rounds now. During that span they are 1-7-12 and last time the Boro’ team won a road game in league was on August 21st last year (1:2 over Sunderland). Overall away record this season is 1-7-10 with 10-27 goal difference (27-50 overall) and team ranks 16th in the road league table with only 10 of 54 possible points earned. 61% of their road games had under 2.5 goals and 22% of their away matches had under 3.5 goals in total while both teams scored in 39% of Boro’s visiting clashes. Most common scores on the road were 1:0 loss and 0:0 draw (both occurred four times) while most common score at halftime was 0:0 (occurred in every second road game).
Spanish striker Alvaro Negredo tops the team in scoring and assisting with nine goals and four assists while Ben Gibson and Adam Clayton navigate the passing segment with 1406 and 1258 total passes so far. Goalies Victor Valdes (28 appearances) and brad Guzan (nine appearances) collected 109 saves along with 11 games with clean sheets combined.
Victor Valdes (Rib), Gaston Ramirez (Thigh) and Daniel Ayala (ankle) will all have late fitness tests.
LIVERPOOL FC vs. MIDDLESBROUGH FC – Match Prediction
Liverpool needs a win in order to secure the No.4 spot in the English Premier League table that would take them to the CL play next season. However, I do expect the Reds to show full strength and fire from all angles on Sunday, which could lead to a high scoring game.
Take the over and the AH on Liverpool!!!
MY PICK: Liverpool FC -2.5 AH (+108)
Total: Over 3.5 goals (+121)
