BBC Football pundit Mark Lawrenson has predicted that Southampton will record successive defeats when they face bottom-of-the-table Crystal Palace at Selhurst Park on Saturday.
Saints go into the clash having taken five points from their opening four Premier League fixtures, but they put in their worst performance of the season last weekend when they were beaten 2-0 by Watford at St Mary’s.
Mauricio Pellegrino will be looking for his shot-shy side to bounce back in south London, and he will have been working on their final third play with the south coast outfit failing to score in three of their four top flight fixtures this term, and nine of their last 12 stretching back to the end of the previous campaign.
The Argentine boss, who could welcome captain Virgil van Dijk back into the fold after an eventful summer and nine months on the sidelines through injury, would have been confident of picking up a result against a struggling Eagles side had Frank de Boer still been in charge, but the Dutchman was sacked on Monday and replaced by Roy Hodgson.
Palace are without a point and a goal in the Premier League but Lawrenson feels that the appointment of the former England manager combined with Saints’ toothless attack should be enough to change their fortunes.
The 60-year-old said: “Southampton need to pick up after a poor start, but they will have to offer more going forward than they did in their defeat by Watford last time out.
“I am going for Palace to win this one, because of the Hodgson factor – I am expecting to see a big reaction from their players on Saturday.”
With De Boer being relieved of his duties just four games in, Pellegrino will be well aware that he will also be under pressure should Southampton lose against Palace.
