The match stats team at bettingexpert.com have taken a long look at the history of recent league contests between Sunderland and Southampton, who meet at St Mary’s today, to examine just how close recent duels between the pair have been.

Take out one exception (October 2014 – we won’t mention the result), on only one other occasion in the pair’s last 16 league contests has the outcome been settled by more than a single goal, a trend which suggests that supporters are in for a close encounter.

Though they’ve taken just one point from their two opening fixtures, Southampton are 8/11 favourites (bet365).

Sunderland, by contrast, are a frothy-looking 11/2 (Coral) to claim their first victory of a campaign that has seen them suffer successive 2-1 defeats. The Black Cats odds look a tad overdone, although given this fixture’s history, the possibility of a low-scoring draw cannot be dismissed.

A goalless encounter, rated a 9/1 shot by bet365, has found favour while the 11/4 posted by Matchbook.com against the draw has also been well backed.

Titanbet offer 4/6 about the match yielding fewer than 2.5 goals, while Ladbrokes offer even money about the opening period ending with honours even. Bookmakers report the most popular result in the correct score markets is a 1-0 home win, priced 5/1 by William Hill.

It seems that if we’re going to see a winner, it probably won’t be by a significant margin; punters who concur might be persuaded to run the rule over Betway’s enormous 14/1 for the Black Cats to secure a 1-0 victory.

West Brom were in the Championship the last time they hosted Middlesbrough, tomorrow’s visitors to the Hawthorns, when the Baggies completed an impressive league double over the Teessiders. They’re 8/5 (888sport) with the visitors quoted at 11/5 by William Hill.

Titanbet offer 4/6 for fewer than 2.5 goals, while Coral price Boro at 21/5 to be ahead at the half-hour mark and Skybet chalk an attractive 10/3 against them enjoying a one-goal margin of victory.

Played four, won two, lost two is probably not what Newcastle fans had in mind, although it’s fair to say there have been encouraging signs of a team clicking over the past two league performances.

They’ll certainly need to play well against second-placed and unbeaten Brighton this evening.

The 11/10 posted by Winner.com against United registering winning suggests that bookies anticipate a comfortable home win. Indeed, with the visitors offered at 29/10 (Skybet), Paddy Power’s 13/8 for Newcastle to retain a clean sheet cannot be ignored.

Yet nor can the home side’s couple of false starts. Punters expecting them to be thwarted in their quest for a second home league victory can get 5/2 (Unibet) against the match ending all square, while BetVictor.com chalk 17/4 about both halves ending in stalemate. Skybet post 11/2 against the duel ending one apiece.

The match stats team at bettingexpert.com point out that in only one league match this season have Brighton failed to score two or more goals, a record which suggests that Ladbrokes’ 5/6 for both teams to score has the look of a nap about it.

Three of the last four contests between Hartlepool and Newport have ended all-square and with the pair separated by just a point in the league table, it’s a surprise to see the Welsh team quoted at 3/1 (Coral) to win when they visit. Pools are 11/10 (188bet), but that playing record suggests that backing the draw (5/2, Paddy Power) could pay dividends.

Odds supplied by www.smartbets.com, the customisable odds comparison site

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