• Southampton have won just two Championship matches this season

• Preston are chasing a playoff place

• Recommended bet: Draw

It’s no secret that Southampton have struggled massively since suffering relegation from the Premier League last season.

Tipped by many to go straight back up, especially under the leadership of Will Still, the Saints have endured a dismal start to the campaign. Ahead of the clash against Preston, the Saints sit just two places and three points above the relegation zone.

Preston, on the other hand, are chasing a play-off spot following a solid start. North End have lost only three matches all season and another victory on the south coast could move them into the top six this weekend.

The latest Southampton vs Preston odds are available on LiveScore Bet

Team news

Home boss Still is missing Elias Jeler this weekend. The defender has missed the previous two games and is likely to be missing for another four to six weeks.

Ross Stewart is unlikely to feature again this year, while Welington is suspended against Preston.

The away side have several players who are unavailable for this match as Robbie Brady, Will Keane, Brad Potts, Jordan Thompson and Pol Valentin are all suffering with various injury issues.

The stats

Preston have taken some big scalps in the Championship this season. Wins against Leicester City and Ipswich Town in their second and third matches of the campaign has set the standard for the club as they bid to reach the play-offs.

Only six teams in the second tier have a better attacking record than the Deepdale side, while they have conceded just 12 goals – the fifth-best defensive record.

Given their resources, Southampton have struggled in front of goal this term, netting just 13 Championship goals.

Furthermore, only four teams have conceded more than the 17 goals Still’s side have let in this term.

The last time these two met was during the 2023/24 campaign. Southampton won at St Mary’s 3-0 after the first game was a 2-2 draw at Deepdale.

The latest Southampton vs Preston odds are available on LiveScore Bet

Prediction

Southampton haven’t won a match since the end of September and that was against Sheffield United who are in the drop zone.

The Saints have yet to win back-to-back league matches and if this sort of form continues over the coming months, Still’s future will surely be in jeopardy.

A positive result at home to Preston could certainly be the catalyst for improvement, but it will be difficult.

Preston have struggled against sides in the bottom half of the table, losing to Birmingham and West Brom recently, but a victory over the struggling Blades last time out was a confidence booster.

Despite starting the game at opposite ends of the table, this match could be a tense affair and a share of the spoils may be on the cards.

Back the draw at 13/5 with LiveScore Bet

The latest Southampton vs Preston odds are available on LiveScore Bet