BILLY BUNTER

Weblog: The football punter

Maybe naughty Nicola is a shrewdie after all

Monday night football always feels like a bit of a bonus and this week's offering - Southampton versus Everton - raises plenty of interesting questions.

Will Saints fans give their new boss the Rafa Benitez treatment? Will Everton continue their policy of dominating games and somehow managing to snatch a draw from the jaws of victory?

And will Southampton chairman Nicola Cortese dare to turn up and face the music? It's the 21st century and I'm all for women taking top jobs in football but Nicky seems to be well out of her depth at this level! 

It's difficult to know exactly how Southampton's players are going to respond after the sacking of Nigel Adkins, who left the Saints a ridiculous 55 league places better off than when he took charge.

However, at the prices, I reckon they're worth backing to upset the Toffees. Southampton's comeback at Chelsea stretched their unbeaten run to five matches and they battered Arsenal in their last home game (admittedly, Everton-style, they only drew that match 1-1).

Everton have won their last two away games, coming from behind to beat out-of-form West Ham and Newcastle, but if the Saints start quickly and the anti-Mauricio Pochettino demonstrations don't kill the atmosphere then the home side could be a touch of value.

And then we'll all be saying what a clever girl that Nicola Cortese is.