Southampton vs AFC Bournemouth
St. Mary’s Stadium, Hampshire
Friday, 20-09-2019 @10pm
Referee: Chris Kavanagh
Four of the last five meetings between Southampton and Bournemouth have all ended in a draw, including this fixture last season, which ended 3-3. Southampton have lost just one of their eight Premier League meetings with Bournemouth (W3, D4) and are unbeaten in all four at St Mary’s (W2, D2). Bournemouth have never won a match at Southampton in any competition (D6, L9).
Southampton will be without summer signing Moussa Djenepo as the Mali winger has a muscular problem. Defender Kevin Danso is available again after suspension while Nathan Redmond could feature after an ankle injury.
Bournemouth manager Eddie Howe has no fresh injury worries ahead of the trip to St Mary’s. Defenders Simon Francis and Lloyd Kelly played for the under-21s in midweek to build up fitness after injury lay-offs but neither is likely to start.
After losing their opening two matches of the season, Southampton are unbeaten in their last three (W2, D1). They are yet to win at St Mary’s this season, having won away from home three times in all competitions. Saints have scored in each of their last 16 Premier League home fixtures and are aiming to equal the club record of 17, set from August 1992 to April 1993 at The Dell. Southampton have lost their last four home league games on a Friday, although three of those were in the Championship between 2007 and 2012.
Bournemouth are aiming to win consecutive Premier League fixtures for just the second time in 2019. The Cherries won their only previous Premier League game played on a Friday, which was also a south coast derby in which they beat Brighton 2-1 in September 2017. Bournemouth manager Eddie Howe has never won away from home in all competitions against Southampton as manager (D2, L5), with his sides failing to score on five occasions. There have been a league-high 43 goals scored in Bournemouth’s Premier League away matches in 2019.
