Southampton vs Everton Predictions

• Southampton have made their worst ever start to a Premier League season
• Everton are unbeaten in their last six away games against newly-promoted sides
• Iliman Ndiaye has scored in back-to-back away matches for Everton

Southampton’s struggles to continue

Southampton will be hoping to claim a first Premier League win of the season when a much-improved Everton head to St Mary’s Stadium on Saturday.

The Saints have made their worst ever start to a Premier League campaign, accumulating just a solitary point from their nine matches to date, while they have now gone 22 games without a top-flight win.

Russell Martin’s side have shown some signs of improvement over recent weeks, suffering late heartache in defeat to Leicester before only just being edged out by Manchester City 1-0 last weekend.

A 3-2 Carabao Cup win over Stoke during the week will have also boosted morale, but while the Saints are showing some signs of improvement, their upturn in form has not been as significant as Everton’s.

Toffees hard to beat and improving

Like Southampton, Everton made a slow start to the season, losing their opening four top-flight games, but they are unbeaten in their five since, accumulating nine points to pull five clear of the relegation zone and eight above their opponents on Saturday.

Sean Dyche’s side were 2-0 winners at another newly-promoted side, Ipswich, in their most recent away fixture, a result that ended their 15-game winless run on the road.

The Toffees may not have won too often on the road over recent months, but they are strong when facing newly-promoted sides on their travels, as they are unbeaten in their last six away games against such opposition since losing at Bournemouth in November 2022.

Everton were also victorious on their last Premier League visit to St Mary’s, claiming a 2-1 success, and a similar scoreline could be on the cards on Saturday, with four of Southampton’s eight league defeats this season being by just a one-goal margin.

Ndiaye provides Everton’s spark on the road

Everton are sweating over the fitness of attacking midfielder Dwight McNeil, who has six goal involvements across his last seven league games, as he was forced off with a knock during last weekend’s home draw with Fulham.

If McNeil is unavailable then that will increase the pressure on Everton’s other attacking outlets, including Iliman Ndiaye, who has caught the eye since arriving at the club over the summer and has scored in back-to-back away games against Leicester and Ipswich.

The 24-year-old has already become a fan favourite amongst Everton supporters and his creativity and pace on the counter attack could be key in a match against a Southampton side that like to dominate the ball – only five teams have averaged more possession in this season’s top-flight than the Saints.

Ndiaye has shown he is capable of scoring goals, particularly on the road, and he could notch his fourth of the season this weekend.