SOUTHAMPTON v BE’ER SHEVA
Thursday 8th December 2016 – Kickoff: 2005hrs
Football – Europe – Europa League Betting Tips
Southampton will probably be relieved to be returning to their St Marys Stadium for Matchday 6 in the Europa League on Thursday night following their disappointing 3-0 defeat away at struggling Crystal Palace on Saturday.
Group K has revealed the group winner at least by this stage as Sparta Prague are five points clear as we head into the final group matches, and tonight’s fixture between Southampton and Hapoel Be’er Sheva is a straight shoot-out for the knock-out rounds.
Saints’ overall form in this group has been a little sketchy but it should be remembered that they have registered important home wins over Sparta Prague 3-0 and Inter Milan 2-1 to remain in the hunt to progress to the next stage of the competition.
Visitors Be’er Sheva come into this match level on points with Southampton although they are 2 goals worse off in terms of goal difference, and a draw would see the home side through to the next round.
Be’er Sheva therefore need to press forward and although they too have registered two wins so far in Group K, these were both recorded against a decidedly lacklustre Inter Milan outfit who have been very disappointing in this competition and duly sit down and out, bottom of the group.
Hapoel Be’er Sheva’s results away from home in the Europa League though have been ordinary so far in their limited experience at this level, having lost three of their four matches on the their travels to date.
I’ll therefore expect Southampton to progress through here with perhaps a narrow 1-0 win.
Pick: Southampton to win @ 1.48 Sportingbet
