It is an all-Premier League clash in the FA Cup third round as Crystal Palace host Southampton on Saturday.
Crystal Palace were one of the surprise teams in last season’s FA Cup as they made it all the way to the semi-final before losing to Chelsea. Having already suffered an early exit from the League Cup this season, they will be keen to go on a similar run this time around.
The Eagles did not have the best preparation for Saturday’s clash as they suffered a 4-0 home defeat to Tottenham Hotspur in the Premier League. That result is a pointer to Crystal Palace’s inconsistency this season as they had claimed a 2-0 victory at Bournemouth just a few days prior.
While the defeat to Tottenham Hotspur was disappointing, Crystal Palace have generally done some good work at home this season. They have already beaten Southampton at Selhurst Park and manager Patrick Vieira will be keen for a repeat of the performance that also saw them overcome the likes of Leeds United and Wolverhampton Wanderers at home.
Southampton’s campaign appears to be worsening as they head to Selhurst Park off the back of six straight Premier League defeats and are currently bottom of the league.
The Saints warmed up for the trip to Palace with a 1-0 home defeat to Nottingham Forest in a Premier League fixture on Wednesday. It was one of their worst performances this season as they finished without a single attempt on target.
One of the major problems for Southampton is their form on their travels, suffering six defeats in their last seven away matches across all competitions. Nathan Jones’ men have suffered some heavy losses in that run, including a 1-0 defeat at Manchester City while they were also beaten 1-0 at Crystal Palace in that run.
How the bookies view it
Crystal Palace have the upper hand among the bookies and are priced at evens with Betfred to claim the win. A victory for Southampton is valued at 3/1 by bet365 while a draw is set at odds of 5/2 with Unibet.
Head to head
Southampton have a 26-20 advantage with 13 draws from 59 previous matches against Crystal Palace. However, Palace have won the last two meetings, including the 1-0 victory at Selhurst Park back in August.
Players to watch
Despite going through a goal drought, Wilfried Zaha remains the most dangerous attacking player for Crystal Palace. The forward has six Premier League goals and could be backed to end his dry spell on Saturday at 2/1 by bet365.
Southampton are usually dangerous from set pieces, particularly James Ward-Prowse. The midfielder has found the net in his last two matches and could be backed to maintain that scoring run at 11/2 with William Hill.
Anything else catch the eye?
Crystal Palace and Southampton often struggle at the back and both teams could be backed to score at 10/11 with Unibet. The Saints have seen over 2.5 goals in four of their last five matches and a repeat is priced at 11/10 with Unibet, who are also offering 3/1 for over 3.5 goals.
With both teams often making slow starts, the second half could be tipped to produce the most goals at 11/10 by Paddy Power.
This FA Cup match between Crystal Palace and Southampton will be played on Jan 7, 2023 and kick off at 12:30. Check below for our tipsters best Crystal Palace vs Southampton prediction. You may also visit our dedicated betting previews section for the most up to date previews.
