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Southampton will be aiming to secure a place in the third round of the EFL Cup for a third consecutive season when they welcome West Ham United to St Mary's Stadium on Tuesday.
The Saints recorded an away victory at Colchester in the first round, while the Hammers beat Portsmouth to reach this stage of the competition.
Read our prediction, preview and betting tips for the game below, and make sure to check out our today's betting tips page for more of our expert predictions.
Southampton vs West Ham key stats
- Southampton are unbeaten in their last 14 home matches.
- West Ham are winless in their last five competitive away outings, although four of those matches came in the Premier League.
- Southampton have scored at least twice in eight consecutive home matches.
Southampton vs West Ham preview: Saints look to build on Stoke victory
Southampton vs West Ham — Tale of the Tape
| Southampton | vs | West Ham |
|---|---|---|
| 24th | Position | 17th |
| -1 | Points | 1 |
| 4 | Goals For | 3 |
| 3 | Goals Against | 4 |
| 0 | Clean Sheets | 0 |
| 9th | Home / Away Rank | 2nd |
Southampton began their EFL Cup campaign with a 2-0 victory away to Colchester United, making it back-to-back seasons in which they have reached the second round.
In fact the Saints made it past this phase on both campaigns, and have twice reached the EFL Cup final, in 1978-79 and 2016-17, though more recently their last two cup exits have both come at the hands of Liverpool — the quarter-finals in 2024-25 and the third round in 2025-26.
Southampton are also looking to secure promotion back to the Premier League, and their 3-1 success over Stoke on Saturday has given them an early lift after a 2-1 defeat at Watford on the opening weekend of the Championship.
Cyle Larin scored for a third consecutive game in that victory over Stoke, leaving the Saints with minus one point, having started the campaign on minus four points, meaning another positive result on Tuesday would offer Tonda Eckert's side an opportunity to carry further momentum into a demanding promotion campaign.
West Ham, meanwhile, enter the contest after a frustrating beginning to life in the Championship following their relegation from the Premier League at the end of last season.
Nuno Espirito Santo's side were held to a 2-2 draw by Burnley before suffering a 2-1 home defeat against Charlton, with Joel Piroe's goal unable to prevent a loss.
The defeat to Charlton was particularly damaging after Lloyd Jones and Tyreece Campbell gave the visitors a two-goal advantage, while Valentin Castellanos then missed a stoppage-time penalty when West Ham had a chance to rescue a point.
The EFL Cup could offer Nuno's side a useful opportunity to restore confidence, especially after they began their campaign with a convincing 3-1 victory over Portsmouth in the first round.
West Ham have twice reached the final of this competition, in 1965-66 and 1980-81, but like Southampton, they have never won the trophy, leaving Tuesday's tie as another chance to take a step towards ending that long-standing wait.
Southampton vs West Ham form guide & betting tips
| Southampton | vs | West Ham |
|---|---|---|
W
W
W
L
W
|
Form |
D
D
W
D
L
|
| 9 | Goals For | 7 |
| 4 | Goals Against | 5 |
W |
EFL CUP | W |
Whispers predicts: Southampton 2-1 West Ham
The match-result market suggests that little separates these teams, but Southampton win or draw at 1.53 (8/15) looks appealing given the Saints' stronger recent momentum and the advantage of playing at St Mary's.
Southampton also appear capable of causing problems in the final third, making over 1.5 Southampton goals at 2.10 (11/10) worth considering for those expecting the hosts to maintain the attacking threat they showed against Stoke.
The both teams to score market at 1.57 (4/7) is another option that stands out, with West Ham possessing enough attacking quality to find a way through despite their difficult start and Southampton having conceded in their last two fixtures.
A 2-1 Southampton victory at 10.00 (9/1) therefore looks like an attractive outsider for those seeking bigger return.
> Southampton win or draw at 1.53 (8/15) | Likelihood: Probable
> Both teams to score – Yes at 1.57 (4/7) | Likelihood:Probable
> Southampton over 1.5 goals at 2.10 (11/10) | Likelihood: Possible
> Correct score – Southampton 2-1 West Ham at 10.00 (9/1) | Likelihood: Outsider