Paul Merson sends clear Southampton warning as he shares firm prediction for Bournemouth clash

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Southampton are still searching for their first Premier League win of the season when they travel to Bournemouth on Monday.

Southampton supporters were on the verge of celebrating three points last weekend following Tyler Dibling’s early goal but Sam Morsy’s 95th-minute equaliser meant the spoils were shared with Ipswich.

The Saints are discovering the harsh reality of Premier League football, as during their first five games most mistakes have been punished.

Russell Martin’s men have looked excellent in spells of matches but failing to convert their dominance into goals is a narrative that needs to switch, and fast.

This weekend, they face a short trip to South Coast rivals Bournemouth, a side they boast a strong record against, having tasted just three defeats in their previous 17 minutes.

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Paul Merson shares score prediction for Bournemouth vs Southampton

Putting history aside, this promises to be a tough match against an established Premier League outfit. The Cherries have only won one of their first five games but have played Newcastle, Chelsea and Liverpool.

Saints supporters will still converge onto the Vitality Stadium praying for a victory but former Arsenal forward Paul Merson thinks they’ll go home empty-handed.

Merson believes Southampton keep on shooting themselves in the foot and criticised Martin for not having a plan B in matches.

Predicting Bournemouth to ‘destroy’ the Saints on Monday with a 3-0 scoreline, Merson wrote in his column for Sportskeeda: “Southampton just keep shooting themselves in the foot every week. I have a feeling it’s another week of none of the promoted teams getting a point, so I’m backing Bournemouth to win here.

“Saints don’t have a plan B at the moment. I think Bournemouth will destroy them in this game. I watch Southampton and I know how they are going to play. They aren’t going to surprise their opponents this weekend. I dread to think how many times Bournemouth will nick the ball off them and put them under pressure.”

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Why the Bournemouth fixture is so pivotal for Southampton

Southampton would hate to start October without a win on the board, especially in a game that is winnable for the Saints, regardless of Merson’s prediction.

Bournemouth are somewhat expected to challenge towards the bottom half of the table and with some tough fixtures on the horizon, picking up three points here could be vital.

Following their short trip to the Vitality, Southampton then travel to title challengers Arsenal, a place where they’re expected to take no points.

Then they host Leicester City, in what is an early relegation six-pointer before making the trip north to Manchester City.

Realistically, the Saints will expect to lose against the two of the league’s behemoths but in clashes against Bournemouth and Leicester, three points have to be the target.

Failure to take at least four points from their next four could see Southampton loitering at the bottom with ground to make up.