Match details. Championship. Kick-off is Sun 11 Oct, 12:00 Lagos time.
Form. Southampton have won five, drawn two and lost three of their last ten, 1.7 points a game. Their last five, newest first: L W W D D. Portsmouth FC have won three, drawn three and lost four of their last ten, 1.2 points a game. Their last five, newest first: D D W L L.
The numbers. Southampton score 3.2 and concede 1.6 a game in their last five at home, with no clean sheets. Southampton average 13.8 shots (5.1 on target), 5.6 corners and 1.6 cards a game. Portsmouth FC score 1.6 and concede 1.4 a game in their last five away, with one clean sheet. Portsmouth FC average 10.9 shots (3.8 on target), 7.0 corners and 1.1 cards a game.
Where it pulls both ways. The prices and the records disagree: the odds board makes it 63% against the records' 42%.
The case against. Not everything agrees on goals: their goals for and against point to an open game. Not everything agrees on goals: their records put over 2.5 goals at 65%.
The read. No firm call: Southampton are the better side, but not at this price. A tight game. Their goals for and against make Southampton the likelier winners; Southampton are the stronger side on form and the table.
The bets. Best bet: Southampton or Draw at 1.17, 85% on the records (Southampton unbeaten in 6 of 8; Portsmouth FC failed to win 6 of 9). Backup: Southampton Over 0.5 Goals at 1.12. It often rescues the bet, but it is no guarantee. Leave: Under 3.5 Goals (Southampton are a clear winner, no Unders); Southampton Over 1.5 goals (Southampton's own games don't back it (4 of 8)); Under 4.5 Goals (Southampton are a clear winner, no Unders). Predicted score: Southampton 2-0 Portsmouth FC (11% chance).
Every score's chance from both teams' checked games, never cut or rescaled. The lit square is the likeliest score that fits the read (a tight game).