Southampton-Manchester City is a match valid for the 30th day of the Premier League and is played on Saturday at 18:30: TV, predictions.
Manchester City’s big target, needless to deny it, is the Champions League. Chased and coveted for years, escaped at the finest moment two seasons ago in the final in Porto. Among the main favourites, in this edition, there are obviously Pep Guardiola’s men, who in the quarter-finals will face Bayern Munich in a sort of anticipated final.
The first leg of the double-header against the Bavarians is imminent, but first the Citizens will have to focus on the league match against Southampton, almost a tailspin if you like. Yes, because the Saints are last in the Premier League standings – but still with a good chance of avoiding relegation – while City are vying for the title (it would be their third consecutive) with Arsenal. In this round De Bruyne and his teammates will play a day earlier than the Gunners, who are engaged in a complicated away match at Anfield on Sunday afternoon. And they have the chance to move to -5, even though they have played one match less than the Londoners. The Catalan coach could make a substantial turnover, just in view of the match with the Bavarians. Haaland, who is recovering from an injury, should remain on the bench: in attack, trust in Julian Alvarez.
That curious precedent in the League Cup
Manchester City are fresh off seven consecutive victories between competitions. The most recent came in the league at the Etihad Stadium, where the reigning champions of England disposed of Liverpool, overwhelming them 4-1. According to Guardiola, one of the best performances ever since he coached the English club.
Bazunu of Southampton
As for Southampton, they have picked up only two points in the last four days, which does not allow them to leave last place. The Saints, last Sunday narrowly beaten by West Ham, have 23 points, only four less than the fourth-last Nottingham Forest. Anything is still possible but they will inevitably need an important end to the season, in which Ruben Selles’ red-and-whites will have to make very few mistakes to try and climb back up the table. Beating City is like climbing Mount Everest, especially for the team with the worst home record – just 10 points at home – but Southampton have already managed it this season. Last January, in the League Cup, they surprisingly got the better of the Citizens 2-0, a defeat that cost them elimination from the domestic competition.
The Prediction
Manchester City’s victory, despite their upcoming Champions League commitment, should not be in question. The chances of Guardiola’s team getting the better of Southampton and keeping their goal unbeaten are very high.
The likely Southampton-Manchester City line-up
- SOUTHAMPTON (4-4-2): Bazunu; Walker-Peters, Bednarek, Caleta-Car, Perraud; S. Armstrong, Ward-Prowse, Lavia, Elyounoussi; Walcott, Sulemana.
- MANCHESTER CITY (4-3-3): Ederson; Walker, Stones, Ruben Dias, Aké; De Bruyne, Rodri, Gundogan; Bernardo Silva, Alvarez, Grealish.
POSSIBLE RESULT: 0-3
