Chelsea v Southampton Tip

The bookies basically think it’s a 50/50 shot that there will be at least three goals in this game but that’s a total that’s only been reached in one of the last 15 Southampton league fixtures. Therefore, if Boylesports are offering me evens money on under 2.5 goals at Stamford Bridge, I’m taking it.

Perceived wisdom seems to be that even if Pochettino’s boys have this tight match tendency, it will be exposed away to the best teams. However, their results at the big grounds in 2013-14 don’t support this hypothesis.

There was one goal when the Saints went to Anfield, two at Old Trafford and again a couple at the Emirates last weekend - and that after a horrific Artur Boric blunder. Even then Southampton didn’t crumble and only conceded the second in the 86th minute.

With Chelsea games averaging fewer goals (2.58) than Liverpool, Arsenal and Man Utd, we should expect defences to remain on top for this one with the Saints’ goals per match record (1.83) remaining particularly miserly.