Southampton vs Leeds United: A win for Leeds secures a top-half finish
- Cameron Loftus
- 17 May 2021
Marcelo Bielsa's Leeds team have been a breath of fresh air this season, and they can end a successful season in the top ten.
When: Tuesday, May 18, 18:00 GMT
How to watch: BT Sport
Best bets
Demanding managers in the dugouts
With seemingly little to play for, it would be understandable for both teams to turn up and let the game pass them by. However, with Ralph Hasenhuttl and Marcelo Bielsa in the respective dugouts, a lifeless match is unlikely to be on the cards.
This was proven by both Southampton and Leeds this past gameweek: Southampton impressively beat Fulham 3-1 and Leeds put Burnley to the sword, running out 4-0 winners.
The experienced managers demand perfection and will be expecting it until the final whistle on the last day of the season, even though both have little to worry about.
The lack of pressure on both teams has resulted in an increased number of goals in each teams' games in recent weeks. Indeed, their last four games combined have yielded 16 goals in total, so by no means should we expect this to be a 0-0.
Last three Premier League meetings:
Leeds United 3-0 Southampton (February 23, 2021)
Leeds' win meant that Southampton continued on a winless run now spanning eight matches.
In what was a comfortable win for the Whites, striker Patrick Bamford scored his 13th goal of the season, putting him into Gareth Southgate's thoughts for his England Euro's squad.
The home team left it late to wrap the game up, but Stuart Dallas and Raphinha netted in the last 15 minutes to move Bielsa's men up to tenth.
Southampton 2-1 Leeds United (January 17, 2004)
You have to go back 17 years to find another previous meeting between Southampton and Leeds in the Premier League.
Much has changed since then and it was the Saints who possessed a striker who was fighting for his England hopes in the shape of Kevin Phillips.
The home team took a two-goal lead into half time courtesy of Brett Ormerod and Phillips getting on the scoresheet.
Defender Matthew Kilgallon managed to head home his first career goal from an Ian Harte cross, but Leeds were not able to conjure an equaliser.
Leeds United 0-0 Southampton (August 26, 2003)
The less said about this meeting the better. All the main action, and there wasn't a great deal of it, occurred before half time.
Lamine Sakho had a goal ruled out for offside after only three minutes as Leeds had the majority of the chances in the first half. Jermaine Pennant and Seth Johnson were among those denied by Saints stopper Paul Jones.
Southampton created little in the way of chances and the game ended all square.
Premier League head-to-head:
Played: 25
Southampton wins: 5
Draws: 7
Leeds United wins: 13
Southampton goals: 15
Leeds United goals: 33
Identical form
As well as this being a dead rubber for both, the recent form of the two teams are extremely similar. Their form reads LDWW for Southampton and Leeds and have scored three or more goals in each of their last two games.
In their previous games, both also welcomed back key members of their squads.
Southampton were able to call upon Danny Ings once again, and he proved his worth by netting twice in the win at St. Mary's against Fulham at the weekend.
This season Hasenhuttl's men average only one goal without Ings in the line-up and 1.41 goals a game with him playing.
Marcelo Bielsa has eased Kalvin Phillips and Raphinha back into action, but both players were used from the start in the impressive 4-0 win against Sean Dyche's resurgent Burnley.
With Leeds nearly at full strength they can be a danger to any team in the Premier League.
Scoreline prediction: Southampton 1-2 Leeds United
The threat of Danny Ings against any team is clear for all to see, and he will be Southampton's major goal threat. However, Leeds' powerful counter-attacking performance against Burnley cannot be ignored.
Marcelo Bielsa will be expecting Southampton to dominate possession, which works in Leeds' favour considering their threat on the break. Every time the Yorkshire club attacked against Burnley they were deadly and if they are in the same mood on Tuesday it will be irrelevant how much possession they have during the match.
Goalscorer bets
Danny Ings slotted straight back into the team and was back to his poacher-like ways. The England striker has 12 goals in 27 appearances this season.
Rodrigo came off the bench to net twice against Burnley, becoming only the second-ever Leeds substitute to score two goals after coming on.
The Spain international might well get an opportunity to impress from the start against the Saints, and he is available at 2/1 with Bet365 to get on the scoresheet.
