Who to bet in the Premier League match

There are two schools of thought when it comes to managing promoted teams in the Premier League.

Some people believe it’s best to stick with the style that got you promoted no matter what, and others suggest playing it safe and focusing on being hard to beat, to keep yourself the best chance to survive.

The right answer, as it always seems to be, probably lies in the middle.

You have to be able to adapt based on your opposition. It’s one thing to play Barcelona-style football against the likes of Plymouth Argyle or Oxford United, but trying to do it against Arsenal or Liverpool is a recipe for disaster.

It seems Southampton are determined to learn that lesson the hard way.

After being relegated two seasons ago, Southampton handed the keys to Russell Martin, who focused on getting Saints to play a more possession-oriented style and weave their way through pressure wherever they are on the pitch.

That philosophy is fine when you’re one of the more talented teams in the second division, but against Premier League opposition – especially an excellent side like Monday’s opponents, Bournemouth – it’s almost self-defeating.

Bournemouth may not be considered one of the big players in the Premier League, but Antoine Semenyo and the Cherries are on the rise and have been one of the best sides outside the top four since last season.

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This is a stylistic nightmare for Saints and could be a defeat.

THE GAME: Bournemouth -1.5 goals (+145).

Why trust New York Post betting

Michael Leboff handicaps the EPL, NHL, golf and everything else that isn’t the NFL and NBA for the NY Post. He is up 49.73 units betting on EPL with an ROI of 7.17%.