Southampton host West Ham United in the Premier League today.
Pundit Mark Lawrenson has told BBC Sport that he thinks Southampton will beat West Ham United 2-1 at St. Mary’s Stadium today.
Southampton head into the game with a point to prove, as their two defeats over the last week – a 5-0 FA Cup loss to Arsenal and a 2-1 defeat on the road to Swansea in the Premier League – have been major disappointments.
General view inside St Mary’s Southampton
Manager Claude Puel may have guided his side to the EFL Cup final, but the Frenchman needs a strong result against West Ham in order to keep fans happy.
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He’ll have to do it without injured defender Virgil van Dijk though, as the Dutchman has been ruled out for up to three months with an ankle injury, but new signing Manolo Gabbiadini could make his debut following a deadline day from Napoli.
Mark Lawrenson
Opponents West Ham also suffered defeat in midweek as they were beaten 4-0 at home by Manchester City, with Jose Fonte’s addition doing little to help the Hammers defence.
Fonte, 33, left Southampton for West Ham last month, and the Portuguese centre back makes his first return to St. Mary’s Stadium today, having spent seven years with the club before his move to East London.
The former Saints skipper will be hoping for a happy return to the South Coast, but pundit Mark Lawrenson is predicting a 2-1 defeat for the Hammers, who were beaten 3-0 by Southampton earlier this season.
Lawrenson believes that Southampton will be ‘much improved’ against West Ham, who simply made it too easy for Manchester City to rack up the goals against them, as the ex-Liverpool defender told BBC Sport.
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“Just as they did in the FA Cup a few weeks ago, West Ham made it easy for Manchester City on Wednesday – and paid the price,” said Lawrenson. “Southampton also come into this game on the back of a poor result, losing to struggling Swansea on Tuesday, but I think they will be much improved here,” he added
What’s your prediction for Southampton v West Ham?
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