Southampton will be aiming to continue their fine run in the FA Cup as they host Grimsby Town in a fifth-round clash on Wednesday. The Saints have impressed in the Cup competitions this season and given their superior quality over the League Two side, should come out on top.
Southampton are enduring a difficult campaign and remain rooted to the bottom of the Premier League, four points from safety. Despite confirming Ruben Selles as their new permanent manager, they warmed up for Wednesday’s clash with a 1-0 defeat to Leeds United last Saturday.
However, for all their struggles this season, Southampton still boast a talented squad that has shown flashes of their quality. Prior to the defeat at Elland Road, they put up an impressive display to claim a 1-0 Premier League victory at Chelsea.
The Cup competitions have also been a welcome distraction for Southampton, who reached the semi-final of the Carabao Cup, claiming the scalp of Manchester City along the way. They have also impressed in the FA Cup, knocking out Crystal Palace before claiming a 2-1 victory over Championship side Blackpool in the previous round.
Grimsby Town have little to play for in League Two with their campaign seemingly grinding to an uneventful end. They are currently 16th on the standings, in no present relegation danger while also not fighting for much further up the table.
While their campaign appears to be heading for an unremarkable finish, Grimsby Town continue to impress in the FA Cup. Paul Hurst’s men have come through every round of the competition, with their biggest scalp a 3-0 replay victory over Championship side Luton Town after earning a 2-2 draw in the first meeting.
Although Grimsby Town will be keen to continue their FA Cup run with another fine showing on Wednesday, they do not head to St Mary’s in the best form. The Hatters have claimed just one win in their last five matches across all competitions, although they did play out a 2-2 draw with Leyton Orient in a League Two fixture last Saturday.
How the bookies view it
The bookies have installed Southampton as overwhelming favourites with a home win priced at 1/3 by William Hill. A victory for Grimsby Town is valued at 4/1 by Unibet while Paddy Power is offering odds of 9/2 for a draw.
Head to head
This will be the first ever meeting between Southampton and Grimsby Town.
Players to watch
On their day, Southampton can make themselves compact and difficult to break down as shown in the win at Chelsea. Jan Bednarek and Amel Bella-Kotchap should continue in central defence and can lead the Saints to a clean sheet at evens with bet365.
At the other end of the pitch, James Ward-Prowse remains Southampton’s most dangerous player, particularly with his set piece prowess. The midfielder was on target in the recent with over Chelsea and is priced at 15/8 with Unibet.
Anything else catch the eye?
Southampton will be keen to channel their recent performance against Chelsea and will be targeting another win to nil at 13/10 with BetVictor. They have scored at least two goals in each of the previous rounds, which means a -1 handicap could also be worth considering at 20/23 with Coral.
The Saint scored in both halves in each of the previous rounds and Wednesday’s clash could be set to follow a similar pattern at 19/20 with Coral.
This FA Cup match between Southampton and Grimsby Town will be played on Mar 1, 2023 and kick off at 19:15. Check below for our tipsters best Southampton vs Grimsby Town prediction. You may also visit our dedicated betting previews section for the most up to date previews.
