Chris Sutton predicts Southampton will knock Burnley out of the FA Cup this weekend.
The two sides will face off on Saturday at 3 p.m. at St. Mary’s, with one club fighting for relegation from the Premier League and the other vying for promotion.
Scott Parker’s team has stood out in the Championship for its great defensive record, with nine goals conceded in 31 games.
Meanwhile, Southampton won their second game of the season last weekend, 2-1 over relegation rivals Ipswich Town.
| Championship standings 2024-25 (As of February 7th) | ||||
| Team | P | GD | Pts | |
| 1 | Leeds United | 31 | +43 | 66 |
| 2 | Burnley | 31 | +28 | 61 |
| 3 | Sheffield United | 30 | +20 | 61 |
| 4 | Sunderland | 30 | +19 | 58 |
| 5 | Blackburn Rovers | 31 | +4 | 45 |
| 6 | West Brom | 30 | +12 | 44 |
| *Sheffield United were deducted 2 points | ||||
Chris Sutton issues Southampton v Burnley prediction
Sutton predicts a 1-0 win for the hosts this weekend, implying that Parker will rotate his lineup.
He also feels that an FA Cup run might save Southampton’s season for fans after a disappointing league campaign, predicting that they will have enough to beat the Clarets.
“Burnley’s defensive record is unbelievable, but they have got a problem at the other end of the pitch,” observed Sutton, via the BBC.
“Burnley fans may be dissatisfied with Scott Parker’s team due to low goal scoring.
“They are in the same predicament as Leeds, as one of four teams vying for one of the Championship’s two automatic promotion spots.
“Again, they have a midweek league game against Hull City on Wednesday that will be their priority.
“I believe Parker will make changes here, and they will be held accountable.
“Southampton will not grumble because they have won so few games against anyone this season.
“Saints picked up a rare win at Ipswich last weekend, and at home they’ve only won three games in all competitions – Stoke in the Carabao Cup, Everton in the league, and Swansea in the FA Cup third round.
“To say they have momentum after beating Ipswich is probably pushing it, and they are still a long way adrift at the bottom of the table, but a decent FA Cup run would give their fans a bit of escapism in what has been a miserable season.”
The winner will advance to Monday’s FA Cup fifth round draw.
Meanwhile, Burnley hosts Hull City in midweek, with the club presently second in the Championship table after 31 games.
Burnley will have one eye on midweek league fixture
Burnley will prioritise their league objectives over the FA Cup this season because to the close race for automatic promotion.
Parker’s side host Hull on Wednesday night, so they’ll keep that in mind when deciding who to start against Southampton.
Testing themselves against Premier League rivals will be a strong indicator of their preparation for the top flight.
However, Parker is expected to rest one or two players, giving Southampton the advantage over the other team.
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