Southampton vs Coventry City: Betting Odds & Prediction

Southampton host Coventry City on Tuesday night as part of the Championship’s midweek action.

The home side still have ambitions of securing automatic promotion, while Coventry are firmly in the scrum of teams competing for a spot in the play-offs. Kick-off at St. Mary’s will be at 7.45pm.

Recent Form

Southampton

After losses for Ipswich and Leeds at the weekend, the door is just about still open for Southampton to make a late claim for automatic promotion, but they failed to take full advantage themselves as they drew 0-0 at Blackburn. They are in fourth place, twelve points behind Ipswich in second, with two games in hand.

Over the course of the season the Saints have been strong at home, but they have struggled lately, winning just one of the last four and losing twice (to Hull and Millwall). Their issues have been defensive, going without a clean sheet at home in five games and conceding 10 goals over that period. 

The crowd at St. Mary’s have certainly been entertained this season, with an average of 3.74 total goals per game. Southampton have managed an impressive 2.42 goals per game, en route to winning 63% of their home matches, so Russell Martin will be hoping that his side can return to the home form of earlier this season to kickstart a late surge up the table.

Adam Armstrong has had a superb season leading the line, scoring 20 goals and providing eleven assists, which is more goal contributions than anyone else in the division. Before the stalemate at Blackburn, he had scored in four games in a row, and will be looking to find the net again here.

Coventry City

Coventry picked up an impressive 2-1 win at home to Leeds last time out to leave them seventh, four points behind Norwich in the race for the final play-off spot, with a game in hand on them.

The Sky Blues have found some good away form recently, winning three of their past four games, and they have been decent overall on the road this season, averaging 1.4 points per game. Both teams have scored in 75% of Coventry’s away games, with 70% of games also going over 2.5 goals.

Ellis Simms has been in sensational form for the past few months, scoring 13 goals in his last ten games in all competitions. Him and Haji Wright, who has 17 goals in all competitions, have formed an effective tandem whether playing together or not, and provide a goal threat that could be vital in the playoffs. Mark Robins will look to use all of his experience to help guide his team through this critical stage of the season and go one better than last year when they lost to Luton in the play-off final.

Prediction

The two teams drew 1-1 in the reverse game at Coventry, a result that stretched Southampton’s unbeaten run against them to six games. The home side are the favourites again here at around even money, but their struggles at home combined with Coventry’s good away form means the away time look slightly underpriced at 7/2.

It is arguably a more important game for the Sky Blues as well. However, anyone that follows the Championship knows that any result is possible, so for this one OddsNow are predicting there to be goals. Games at St. Mary’s this season have averaged a total of 3.74 so far, and these are two exciting, attack-minded teams. It should be a great game as the Championship reaches its climax.

OddsNow's Pick: Over 3.5+ goals scored (5/4 @ BoyleSports)