Mane to set Southampton recovery in motion against Midtjylland

Nostradamus would have struggled to predict Everton leaving St.Mary’s as 3-0 winners two games into the Premier League season, but luckily for a smarting Southampton side, Thursday night offers an early chance at redemption.

The odds on offer from Ladbrokes surrounding their Europa League play-off round tie with Danish Super Lig side FC Midtjylland, certainly support the theory the south coast side can bounce straight back.

The Premier League club are deemed 3/10 shots for victory, the visitors are big 17/2 outsiders to inflict successive home defeats and the draw is a 7/2 chance.

Saints chief Ronald Koeman will have had a good few days on the training ground in which to right the tactical wrongs of that televised Saturday lunchtime mauling and will no doubt have offered a few home truths to his squad in the process.

At least there were plenty of chances created against the Toffees, whom they matched in shots on target, for Koeman’s side to draw confidence from heading back into European action.

It was their lack of clinical finishing and defensive naivety on the counter which largely resigned them to defeat in the wake of Everton’s contrasting ruthlessness.

Still, a resounding 5-0 aggregate victory over Vitesse to set up this visit of Midtjylland, should weigh heavily in Saints’ favour as they look to dust themselves off.

The Danes, whom lost out to Apoel Nicosia in their Champions League qualifier 2-1 on aggregate, will certainly be no pushovers though, having only been defeated once in nine fixtures thus far this season in all competitions.

With Midtjylland boasting such a well-drilled defence, it’s conceivable Southampton have to work very hard for their supper, so a one-goal victory appeals greatly at 13/5.

Having got off the mark for the season in the away leg against Vitesse, Saido Mane looks the value first goalscorer pick at 9/2, after getting into several scoring positions against Everton.

Ladbrokes are also running a price boost for the game. The bookmakers are enhancing a Southampton win where both teams score from 9/4 out to 11/4 from 8.00 am on the day of kick off.

All Odds and Markets are correct as of the date of publishing.
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