This supercomputer is tipping Southampton for promotion ahead of opening day
Southampton fans will now be itching to see their beloved team back in Championship action.
This weekend sees the drama of the second tier kick back off, with tonight officially starting the campaign, as Wolverhampton Wanderers face off against Blackburn Rovers under the Molineux floodlights.
The Saints have to wait until Sunday for their first taste of action, as they travel to Vicarage Road, expecting to seeTonda Eckert and Co. comfortably pick up an opening day win againstWatford.
The South Coast outfit remain a favourite for promotion, heading into the brand-new season, despite their four point deduction immediately coming into play against the Hornets, due to Spygate.
This supercomputer, which predicts the Championship table every single season, has tipped Eckert's men to return to the Premier League, despite such setbacks...
Opta's bold Southampton prediction
Opta - who are a leading global sports analytics and data provider - use a supercomputer that simulates the season over and over again, before a ball is kicked, to try and gain some insight as to how the season will unfold.
After 10,000 simulations, Opta is, unsurprisingly, tipping West Ham United to reign supreme as champions, with the Hammers handed a 17.2% chance of winning title, and a weighty 29.4% chance of automatic promotion.
Next to Nuno Espirito Santo's men in the top two, in this simulated prediction, is Eckert's side, with Southampton given a slightly lesser 13% chance of holding the second tier aloft, with a 23.7% probability of clinching automatic promotion.
Middlesbrough follow closely behind, when looking at the rest of the promotion positions, with Saints fans likely taking great delight in that supercomputer prediction, with the fallout of Spygate still present.
Southampton supporters would be over the moon if Opta's forecast came true, as it would be some feat if the South Coast titans were to seal promotion via the top two, with a four point deduction next to their name.
Obviously, though, this supercomputer's prediction shouldn't be read as some divine prophecy that will come true without doubt, as the last couple of predictions that have been churned out have fallen flat in some striking positions in the Championship table.
Is this supercomputer accurate?
The St Mary's masses shouldn't get too carried away here.
Indeed, last season, the supercomputer predicted that Sheffield United and Leicester City would occupy the top two spots in the hard-to-call division, with the Foxes actually succumbing to back-to-back relegation, despite Opta's backing.
The supercomputer did have promoted duo Ipswich Town and Coventry in third and fourth spots respectively, in all fairness, with the almighty underdog story of Hull City reflected in the prediction, as the Tigers were stuck in 17th spot in the simulated league order.
Opta did accurately call that Leeds United would win the title come the end of the 2024/25 season, though, but that was hardly the wildest shout, when they boasted the likes ofManor Solomon in their terrifying attacking arsenal.
West Ham will hope history repeats itself, here, as Opta have backed Espirito Santo and Co. to be crowned second tier champions, and they have just signed Solomon, conicidentally.
It does feel like more of a bold suggestion to tip the Saints to finish in the top two alongside the East London giants, especially with that points penalty.
But, if Eckert can keep the likes of Taylor Harwood-Bellisaround, amid speculation in his services, and get the likes of Cyle Larin and Finn Azaz firing, again, the points deduction doesn't need to be an issue for long.
