Southampton vs Nottingham Forest Predictions

• Southampton have conceded 13 goals across their last five games
• The Saints have seen BTTS in seven of their eight home games this term
• Forest have conceded in all but one of their away trips this season
• Forest are winless away this term, while the Saints have won three of 17 league games this term

Lifeline for strugglers?

These two sides face a relegation six-pointer early in 2023, with the pair both stuck in the bottom three heading into Wednesday’s clash at St Mary’s. Southampton and Nottingham Forest are 20th and 18th respectively in the table, but a win for either could lift them out of trouble.

Both sides look to have work to do in order to survive the drop, with Nottingham Forest set to add to their 23 signings and Saints hoping to come good under new boss Nathan Jones. That’s still eluded the hosts, while Forest head into this clash after a morale-boosting point against Chelsea.

Can pair be split?

This is a clash between the sides with the worst home and away record respectively in the top flight, so it’s hard to pick out a winner between them. The Saints average 0.75 points per game at St Mary’s, while Forest are winless on their travels so far this season, losing six of eight trips.

However, it’s the hosts who head into this one in the worst form. Saints have lost five straight Premier League games, conceding 13 goals along the way. They’ve dropped vital games against Brighton and Fulham since returning after the World Cup, so there’s an opportunity for Forest to finally claim an away win.

Defences to be exposed

One thing the pair share is their defensive issues, with the duo the 18th and 19th worst sides defensively in the league this term. The hosts have conceded 15 times in their eight home games, while Forest ship 2.75 per game on their travels. The hosts have seen BTTS land in seven of their eight home matches to date, so goals should be on the cards.

Forest fought back to claim a 1-1 draw against Chelsea, while they’ve conceded in all but one of their away matches so far this season. The Saints haven’t kept a clean sheet in any of their last six league games, while Forest have scored in five of their last six matches in all competitions. Back both teams to score in this clash, with a 1-1 draw the best option considering their respective records.