Southampton vs Nottingham Forest

A relegation Premier League six-pointer is on the menu as basement boys Southampton and promoted Nottingham Forest face each other at St Mary’s Stadium.

After avoiding relegation by the skin of their teeth in the last two seasons, Southampton may finally run out of luck this term, as after losing five Premier League games in succession, they come into proceedings nailed to the bottom of the table. A two-point deficit on 17th-placed West Ham United means nothing’s lost yet, but unless Nathan Jones finds a way to defy Southampton’s disastrous home league record this season (W1, D3, L4), things could get worse soon. With only six points from eight Premier League home fixtures, the ‘Saints’ lament the worst home record in 2022/23. After losing nine top-flight home outings in 2022, their most in a single calendar year since 1998, Southampton will hope to turn a corner in 2023.

Meanwhile, Nottingham Forest hit back from a halftime deficit to hold Chelsea to a morale-boosting 1-1 home draw on New Year’s Day, avoiding defeat for the third time in four Premier League fixtures (W1, D2). However, away from home is where the problems often tend to emerge for the ‘Tricky Trees,’ as they come into this round as the only Premier League side yet to win on the road in 2022/23 (D2, L6). Steve Cooper’s men cannot catch a break outside the City Ground, having netted only one goal across their eight league travels this term. After drawing a blank in their last six Premier League away matches, they stare down the barrel of a seven-game scoring away drought in league football for the first time since 1970.