Southampton will attempt to carry on their success from the last tour in a match against Preston North End, who are similarly aiming for a promotion. In the teams' previous face-off, the "Saints" managed to secure a draw deep into injury time thanks to an own goal by Chad Evans. Today's victory is a must if they wish to continue fighting for an automatic promotion.
After three consecutive defeats, the "Saints" pulled off a real thriller in Birmingham, snatching a 4-3 victory. Although Russell Martin was pleased with the determined win, the team's defence remained woeful. Nonetheless, Southampton maintains hope for a second place, trailing "Ipswich" by five points, a lag that could be quickly levelled under certain circumstances.
Preston had gone undefeated in the Championship since their 2-1 loss to Leeds United in late January. After the match at Saint Mary's, Ryan Lowe can afford to relax a bit because it seems like the fixture list is on their side. Kian Beast has a slim chance of returning to the lineup, while Brad Potts' comeback is still postponed.
Once again factoring in Southampton's poor defensive play, the absence of a few key players, along with a rather average goalkeeper, I am considering Preston's individual total over. The bookmakers are offering generous odds of 1.66 on an ITO of over 0,5 goal.
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