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Saints Sunderland Preview From EA Sports
Friday, 23rd Aug 2013 08:34 by EA Sports

Welcome to the first preview of the season from EA Sports, here they take a look at both Saints and Sunderland.

Southampton have started the new Premier League season on a high, with Rickie Lambert scoring the winner for both club and country in the last week. Lambert’s late penalty was just his second attempt at goal in the game, and his first on target. Lambert contributed to 24 goals last season (15 goals, 9 assists), second only to Theo Walcott among the Premier League’s English players. He’s 6/5 to score any time and 7/2 to score first with 888sport.com

James Ward-Prowse put in an impressive performance which suggests he may be the latest star to come out of Southampton’s youth system. The 20 year old winger delivered five crosses, the joint highest in the EA SPORTS Player Performance Index with Everton’s Leighton Baines

Jose Fonte ensured that the Saints started the season with a clean sheet by contributing 14 clearances in the game, the joint highest in the opening round of games. Those clearances contributed to 21 defensive interventions by Fonte in total, the most in the EA SPORTS Player Performance Index. Saints are 33/20 with 888sport.com to win without conceding a goal against Sunderland.

Sunderland’s summer loan signing OndÅ™ej ÄŒelÅ¯stka announced his arrival in the Premier League by attempting the joint highest number of tackles in the first round of games. ÄŒelÅ¯stka won just five of the tackles though, so while the intention was there he will want to improve on the frequency with which he comes away with the ball.

John O’Shea was also a key part of the Sunderland defence last season, and ended the season ranked third in the EA SPORTS Player Performance Index for defensive contributions with 367 across tackles, blocks, clearances and interceptions

Despite Sunderland leaving the game against Fulham without scoring, Adam Johnson looked lively on the wing and delivered four crosses, the second highest in the EA SPORTS Player Performance Index for the opening fixtures. Johnson is 22/5 to score any time and 10/1 to score first with 888sport.com

New signing Cabral also threatened with four efforts at goal, a total bettered only by Frank Lampard among the EA SPORTS Player Performance Index’s midfielders.

Data supplied by the EA SPORTS Player Performance Index. Select and manage your own team of stars at http://fantasy.premierleague.com/ or with FIFA Ultimate Team for FIFA 14.

Photo: Action Images

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SonicBoom added 10:59 - Aug 23 Hardly a preview. Just some stats and betting....
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schatfield added 13:20 - Aug 23 agree with sonic, this isnt a preview at all. Nick, dont the web folk let you do your own previews anymore? They were part of my Friday mornings reading material I enjoyed!
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