Portsmouth v Southampton Betting Tip Both teams to score – 24 September 2019

Pompey can trouble their rivals

EnglandPortsmouth v SouthamptonEngland
Tuesday 24th September 1945hrs
Football – England – EFL Cup
Pick Both teams to score
Bookmaker Bet365
Odds: 4/5 (odds taken 16.00 GMT, Monday 24 September)

1 X 2
63/20 57/20 18/25

* (Betting Odds were taken from 22Bet on September 23, 2019 at 16.00)

It’s regarded as one of the fiercest rivalries in English football and we get our first taste of the South Coast derby in seven years on Tuesday night. Can League One Portsmouth upset arch rivals Southampton at Fratton Park?

EFL Cup Betting at Bet365

Portsmouth Preview – Can Pompey forget their league woes and upset their oldest rivals?

Pompey came within a couple of games of winning promotion to the Championship last season but they now find themselves just one place and a couple of points outside the relegation zone in League One. It’s been a real comedown for Kenny Jackett and his players and the experienced manager will be hoping that this cup tie can give them a much needed boost. Their seven league games have returned just six points and their only win came at home to Tranmere Rovers at the beginning of August. Three draws from their last four games are beginning to hint at some sort of improvement but they narrowly went down 1-0 away to a Wycombe side who are flying high. The longer they go without winning games will ultimately see them wave goodbye to any hopes of promotion and begin worrying about their League One status.

The frustrating thing for Jackett is that his team are picking up good results in the cup competitions. Pompey are two for two in the group stage of the Football League Trophy whilst also dispatching two Championship sides to get to this stage in the shape of Birmingham and QPR. Portsmouth have scored five goals between those games, keeping clean sheet on both occasions. Tuesday will be another step up in class but one they are likely to relish.

Sending off in match – Yes
10/3

Unibet

Southampton Preview – Will the Saints show their Premier League class and move into the third round?

Heading into Friday’s home game with Bournemouth and you felt Southampton were finding their feet this season. The Saints had taken seven points from their last three league games but were disappointing when losing 3-1 at home to the Cherries. Ralph Hasenhuttl will be hoping that it’s just a blip and his team can get back to winning ways. Saints’ current position of 13th with seven points is around where you would expect them to be. A top 10 finish is essentially the aim and games such as Friday have a big bearing on their positioning. Had they won it would have put them into the top six.

The EFL Cup is one of those competitions that will split opinion at clubs like Southampton. Their resources are not as vast as other Premier League teams and therefore they wouldn’t want to harm their league form to progress a couple of rounds. On the other hand, this is a club who reached the final in 2017 and it shows it’s possible to go far if they commit themselves to it. That will be the quandary that Hassenenhuttl faces up to when choosing his team but there are likely to be a number of changes in the visitor’s team.

Key-Facts – Portsmouth v Southampton

  • Porstmouth have struggled in League One this season but are making good progress in the cup competitions and will relish this derby game
  • Saints come into this on the back of a disappointing defeat but they had picked up seven points in three games before then
  • This will be the first meeting between the clubs since 2012 and it’s sure to be a fiery one

Portsmouth v Southampton Betting Advice

Portsmouth will be hoping that a return to EFL Cup action can see them turn in another big performance. Wins over two Championship clubs, and comfortable wins at that, have been their season’s highlights thus far and victory on Tuesday would be an even more significant result. An upset is the last thing that Southampton will want to be on the receiving end of at the home of their arch rivals. The fact that this is a derby game may see a stronger team than normal take the field for Southampton.

This match has all the makings of being a proper cup tie. Fratton Park is one of the most atmospheric grounds in English football and created by a really passionate support. Southampton will know they are in a game here.  The gulf in quality is too much for me to suggest an upset but the hosts can definitely cause problems. Pompey have failed to score in just one of their last 1o games and they can get on the scoresheet once again here.