Fulham will desperately be hoping that history is on their side this weekend. The home side in this fixture usually doesn't lose, and Fulham desperately need points to move away from the relegation zone.
The fact that Southampton were disappointed not to take three points from their midweek draw with Arsenal shows the extent of the task that Rene Meulensteen's side face at Craven Cottage, especially given Fulham's form at the back.
I was in Wales for Match of the Day on Tuesday night to witness Fulham lose at Swansea, when they reached the unwanted milestone of conceding 50 goals in the Premier League this season. Fulham started well at the Liberty Stadium, and should perhaps have scored in the first half, but they were undone by two second-half goals that took deflections on their way in.
The last time the Cottagers kept a clean sheet in the league was way back in early December, with a 2-0 home win over Aston Villa. Southampton will surely fancy doing the double over the London side, having secured a 2-0 victory when these sides met back in October.
However, Saints have stuttered of late, with only a couple of victories in their last 12 Premier League fixtures, and a host of off-field distractions.
That said, they will be hugely encouraged by their midweek display against the Gunners. I saw them sweep aside Cardiff with ease on Boxing Day, and if the visitors repeat that sort of form it could be a torrid afternoon for the home defence.
Head-to-head
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Southampton won the corresponding fixture 2-0 in October - climbing to third in the table in the process.
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Victory in this fixture invariably goes to the home side. Southampton have only won twice in 28 league matches at Fulham, while the Cottagers only have one league win from 29 trips to the south coast.
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Saints last won a league game at Fulham in October 1947.
Fulham
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Fulham have won just three of their last 15 Premier League home games (W3, D1, L11).
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Their midweek defeat at Swansea was their fourth in their last five league matches, in which they have conceded 15 goals and scored just three.
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That defeat brought up their half century of goals conceded in the league this season - an average of 2.17 per game.
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The Cottagers have only drawn one league game this season - a Premier League low. Saints, in contrast, have drawn eight.
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They have now gone eight league games without keeping a clean sheet, the longest run in the top division.
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Under Rene Meulensteen, Fulham have let in 26 goals in 10 league games, more than they conceded under Martin Jol this season (13 games, 24 goals).
Southampton
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Southampton have only won two of their last 12 league matches (D4, L6).
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They have also won just one of their last eight Premier League away games (W1, D4, L3).
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Saints have lost 10 points from winning positions this season. Only Sunderland, Stoke and West Ham have lost more.
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Southampton's last two matches have ended 2-2; only one team in Premier League history (Liverpool - September 2002) has drawn three successive matches 2-2.
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Rickie Lambert has scored in each of the last two Premier League meetings between the sides.