AFC Bournemouth vs Southampton Predictions

• Bournemouth have kept two clean sheets in their last 15 league games at the Vitality.
• Southampton have scored in seven of their last 11 away games.
• Both teams have scored in six of the Cherries’ last nine home league matches.

Saints may be more positive

No one at Southampton would have been under any illusions about the scale of the task facing the Saints after they gained promotion back to the Premier League via the Championship playoffs and their start has been difficult.

They go into their sixth game of the season at Bournemouth having failed to claim a win in their previous top-flight matches, but they should be confident enough to at least be positive on their visit to the Vitality, despite finding the net just twice.

There have been a few signs that they could be about to turn the corner as they came through a Carabao Cup fixture at Everton on penalties and were then denied three points by a 96th-minute equaliser from Ipswich at St Mary’s last week.

So we could see enough positivity for them to find the net against the Cherries even if they are not able to do enough to win Monday’s game.

Cherries could just have the edge

Andoni Iraola’s team have managed to get off the mark thanks to an extraordinary win at Goodison when they were 2-0 down to Everton after 87 minutes but still headed home with the points.

A 1-0 defeat to Chelsea and a 3-0 loss at Liverpool last time brought them down to earth, but they were unfortunate not to beat Newcastle on their own patch when a contentious decision denied them a late winner.

They have had a habit of conceding at home – they have had just two clean sheets in their last 12 on their own patch – but they look to have a bit more up front than the visitors and could edge this one by a 2-1 scoreline.

Semenyo can make his mark

Antoine Semenyo could represent some anytime-goalscorer value even though he has found the net only twice so far this season because that has not been for the want of trying.

The Ghanaian midfielder had 24 efforts at goal in his first five starts of the season and had an effort disallowed at Anfield before Liverpool scored, so he is plainly full of confidence and is capable of adding to his tally.