The last game of matchday 19 in the Premier League comes from the south coast...
Recommended bets
1pt Nathan Redmond to score and Southampton to win at 5/1
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Southampton v West Ham, 1935 GMT, Sky Sports Main Event)
Back-to-back victories have lifted Southampton out of the relegation zone and three points clear of danger and they can keep the momentum going on Thursday.
Ralph Hasenhuttl lost his first game in charge at Cardiff before pulling off a shock defeat at St Mary's against Arsenal, followed by a win over fellow strugglers Huddersfield in West Yorkshire on Saturday.
The mini revival that comes when a new manager arrives has certainly happened since the Austrian replaced Mark Hughes, but performances suggest it could stick. The Saints have shown an intensity and speedy style which proved a success for Hasenhuttl at RB Leipzig.
Danny Ings is scoring, Nathan Redmond improving and even youngster Michael Obafemi is getting in on the act.
They face a West Ham side whose four-match winning run was ended at the weekend, with Watford triumphing 2-0 at the London Stadium.
Manuel Pellegrini will be looking for a response from his side who are still missing a number of first teamers due to injury.
Betting guide
Score prediction: Southampton 2-0 West Ham (Sky Bet odds: 10/1)
Two good results have left the Saints with an excellent chance of survival and they have a squad well capable of avoiding a relegation fight in the second half of the season. A draw would be no surprise at all here but the overall feeling is that, with Southampton's pressing and West Ham's injury problems, the hosts will edge it.
Best bets: Nathan Redmond to score and Southampton to win at 5/1
There was a temptation to back the hosts to score two or more at evens, but when Hasenhuttl took charge, we predicted that England forward Redmond would flourish under the Austrian and he was a key man in Saturday's win over Huddersfield - contributing a goal and assist. He has had 11 shots in his last five games and is around evens to have 3+ total shots on Thursday. But the preference is to back him in a score-and-win double. He looks sharp and can continue to thrive under Hasenhuttl.
RequestABet: Southampton to score 2+ goals, Nathan Redmond to score anytime and 20+ West Ham booking points at 8/1
Opta facts
- Southampton have only lost one of their previous nine home league games against West Ham (W4 D4), with that lone defeat coming in February 2017 (1-3).
- West Ham are looking to win back-to-back games against Southampton in the Premier League for the first time since October 2001 (a run of four wins).
- After winning their first ever away game at Southampton in the Premier League (2-0 in November 1993), West Ham have won just two of 15 such games since (D6 L7).
- This match between Southampton and West Ham United will be the ninth Premier League match played on a Thursday since the start of 2016-17 – none of the previous eight have been won by the side playing at home (W0 D4 L4).
- Southampton have won their last two Premier League games. They last won three in a row in May 2016 under Ronald Koeman (four in a row).
- West Ham United are looking to win three consecutive Premier League away games for the first time since September 2015. They’ve won their last two by an aggregate score of 5-0.
- Southampton have scored three goals in each of their last two Premier League games – only once in their history have they scored 3+ goals in three consecutive top-flight matches, a run of five between December 1980/January 1981.
- Southampton have won two of their three Premier League games under manager Ralph Hasenhüttl, just one fewer than they won in 22 games under Mark Hughes (W3 D8 L11).
- Southampton’s Charlie Austin has never scored a Premier League goal on a Thursday (two games) but has scored on every other day of the week during his Premier League career. Should he score in his match, he’d be the 26th different player to score on every day of the week in the Premier League.
- 33% of Danny Ings’ total Premier League goals have been in his 13 appearances for Southampton this season (7/21).
Odds correct at 1500 GMT on 24/12/18
