This afternoon, Manchester City sees a thrilling return as Erling Haaland and Phil Foden rejoin the starting lineup against Southampton, bringing fresh energy to the pitch.
Joining them in this exciting shift are Rico Lewis, Manuel Akanji, and James McAtee, while Jeremy Doku, Matheus Nunes, Nico O’Reilly, Ilkay Gundogan, and Omar Marmoush take a seat on the bench.
Top scorer Haaland steps onto the field for the first time in six weeks, eager to make a memorable impact.
The Norwegian powerhouse has netted an impressive 30 goals this season and is determined to finish on a high note.
Starting Lineups
CITY XI: Ederson, Lewis, Akanji, Dias, Gvardiol, Kovacic, De Bruyne (C), Bernardo, McAtee, Foden, Haaland
Subs: Ortega Moreno, Marmoush, Grealish, Doku, Nico, Gundogan, Savinho, Nunes, O’Reilly
SAINTS XI: Ramsdale; Harwood-Bellis, Bednarek, Stephens; Bree, Downes, Ugochukwu, Welington; Fernandes, Sulemana; Dibling
Subs: McCarthy, Archer, Aribo, Manning, Onuachu, Smallbone, Stewart, Sugawara, Wood-Gordon
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Tactical Insights
Our anticipation builds as we await kick-off to unveil the team’s defensive setup.
It’s conceivable that Akanji will align with Ruben Dias, supported by Lewis and Josko Gvardiol in full-back positions.
Alternatively, Pep Guardiola might opt for a tactical twist, placing Akanji at right-back, while deploying the agile Lewis on the left should the pairing of Dias and Gvardiol remain intact.
The midfield battle will prominently feature Mateo Kovacic, likely alongside the ever-reliable Kevin De Bruyne and Bernardo Silva. With Foden and McAtee expected on the wings, Haaland stands ready to power in goals from the center.
WATCH: Saints v City: Memorable Moments
Full Attention Required
Though Southampton finds itself at the bottom of the Premier League table, Pep Guardiola is acutely aware that today’s match won’t come without its challenges. Facing a team with nothing to lose can often spell danger.
As the sun shines brightly over a packed St Mary’s Stadium, Guardiola would caution anyone who thinks victory is merely a formality for the Blues.
The age-old adage that every game in this league is fiercely contested holds true, and Southampton’s squad has showcased potent abilities on various occasions.
City’s singular focus remains on securing a crucial win—every point counts as they strive for Champions League contention.
Noteworthy Stats
Southampton has only clinched one win out of their last 15 matchups against Man City (D3 L11), with their lone victory being a 1-0 home success in July 2020.
City triumphed 1-0 in the corresponding fixture earlier this season but has yet to maintain a clean sheet in consecutive league contests with the Saints since the 2014-15 season.
Since the 2004-05 season, the Blues have lost just three of their 25 Premier League encounters with Southampton (W17 D5), however, all three defeats occurred at St. Mary’s.
City stands undefeated in their last 29 Premier League games against teams starting the day at the bottom of the table (W24 D5) since a 2-1 setback to West Brom in December 2008. Their last 12 victories have delivered a staggering aggregate of 44-1.
Given that Southampton has amassed 28 losses this season, another defeat would mark a record for the most losses in a single 20-team league campaign (surpassing the records set by Sunderland in 2005-06, Derby in 2007-08, and Sheffield United in 2020-21).
Manchester City is on a hot streak, having secured their last four Premier League victories, the longest such stretch this season. They’re eager to win consecutive away games for the first time since August.
Southampton has let slip more points from leading positions than any other team this season (28). If they are ahead but fail to secure a win today, it will be the first time they’ve squandered over 30 points after taking the lead in a single Premier League season.
This season, Southampton has conceded a staggering 82 Premier League goals. Historically, they have only conceded more in three occasions: 85 in 1952-53, 92 in 1966-67, and 83 in 1967-68.
Manchester City’s Kevin De Bruyne holds a unique record, being involved in more Premier League goals against Southampton (14—4 goals, 10 assists) than any other club. Only legends Ryan Giggs (12 against City and Newcastle) and Cesc Fàbregas (11 against Tottenham) have managed more assists against any opponent than De Bruyne’s 10 against the Saints.
Notably, Jérémy Doku has been a standout performer, completing the most dribbles in the Premier League this season (102) and boasting the highest dribble success rate of any player attempting at least 60 (61.5%).
