Stoke
- Stoke have won two, drawn two and lost one of their last five Championship games.
- Mark Robins has done a brilliant job at Stoke since his appointment in January 2025, and has quickly instilled a pragmatic, disciplined structure to the Potters that was largely absent from the club before his arrival.
- He employs a rigid 4 - 2 - 3 - 1 system that sees the Stoke players press high in the game, be compact and structured in the defensive third and play quick and precise vertical passes when in possession.
Southampton
- Southampton have won one, drawn two and lost two of their last five Championship matches.
- Tonda Eckert has been in charge of their 4 - 3 - 3 system since his November 2025 appointment.
- Eckert’s men have won three and lost seven of their 15 away league games this season, and have scored 22 goals on the road.
Head-to-Head
Stoke beat Saints 2-1 away in the Championship five months ago and have the advantage in the last three meetings (W2, L1).
Key Players
- Sorba Thomas is Stoke’s main attacking threat with nine goals in 29 Championship games.
- Adam Armstrong (11 goals in 29 games) is the danger man for the visitors.
Betting Insights
- Stoke and Southampton are both in patchy form but the Saints are marginal favourites for this game at 2.52, with Stoke next at 2.68 and the draw at 3.35.
- The Potters have won six, drawn three and lost five of their 14 home Championship matches, conceding just 12 goals at the bet365 Stadium.
Prediction
With neither side in great form, and both teams’ styles of play set to produce a cagey game, the Under 2.5 goals market at 1.85 looks appealing.
