Football
Manchester City vs Southampton Preview, Prediction, Team News and Confirmed Lineups
Cai is a news and features writer that specialises in football, but has experience covering a variety of other sports, including darts, basketball, American football, MMA, boxing and more. He holds a degree in Football Journalism (BA Hons) from the University of Derby, and worked with Nottingham Forest FC and Burton Albion FC throughout his studies. Cai also has experience working in social media with the Football Association of Wales, where he worked on a freelance basis, and has also been an accredited writer in the JD Cymru Premier for both Y Clwb Pêl-Droed and welshfootie since the 2019/20 season.
Get to know Cai Parry betterPublished26 Oct 2024
Reigning champions Manchester City host newly promoted Southampton in the Premier League on Saturday, and we’ve got the latest in terms of team news and confirmed lineups, as well as a prediction included in our preview.
Manchester City vs Southampton Preview
Pep Guardiola and his Manchester City side return to English top-flight action this weekend after a 5-0 win over Sparta Prague in the Champions League on Wednesday, as they welcome Southampton to the Etihad on Saturday.
The Cityzens have now won each of their last four matches across all competitions, including a 2-1 win over Wolves in the league last time out, and they remain unbeaten thus far in 2024/25.
City head into the weekend’s action occupying second place in the Premier League table, a point adrift of leaders Liverpool and three points ahead of last season’s title challengers Arsenal, as well as Aston Villa.
Out of this world! 🌎
🤯 @ErlingHaaland pic.twitter.com/zkDoUdPCCm
— Manchester City (@ManCity) October 23, 2024
Southampton, meanwhile, are one of four teams that are still without a victory in the division. After their opening eight league matches this term, the Saints boast just one point and find themselves in a lowly 19th place.
Since earning a point against Ipswich last month, Russell Martin’s side have lost three in succession, falling to 3-1 defeats against both Bournemouth and Arsenal, as well as squandering a two-goal lead to lose 3-2 to Leicester last time out.
This weekend’s meeting will be the first time that the pair have met in over a year and a half, with their last clash ending 4-1 in favour of Manchester City thanks to an Erling Haaland brace, as well as goals from Jack Grealish and Julian Alvarez.
Manchester City Team News
City’s injury list has grown since last weekend, with both Jack Grealish (knock) and Jeremy Doku (muscular) joining Rodri (knee), Oscar Bobb (leg), Kevin De Bruyne (groin) and Kyle Walker (knee) on the treatment table.
These fresh injury concerns will likely open the door for another start for Brazilian winger Savinho, who impressed in the win over Wolves last weekend and built on that performance with an assist in Europe in midweek.
Also among the goals was Matheus Nunes, who scored one and assisted twice from the wing on Wednesday, and with wide options scarce for the weekend, Guardiola may reward the 26-year-old with his first league start of the season.
Southampton Team News
Ryan Fraser’s red card against Leicester last time out means he’s suspended for the trip to the Etihad, and he joins Gavin Bazunu (achilles), Ross Stewart (muscular) and Will Smallbone (hamstring) on the sidelines.
Japanese right-back Yukinari Sugawara is also a doubt for the tie after being withdrawn early at St. Mary’s last Saturday, meanwhile Jack Stephens is available for selection once more after serving a three-match ban.
Impressive youngster Tyler Dibling should be afforded a sixth consecutive start either on the wing or up front, and he will likely be joined in attack by Cameron Archer, who has scored in each of his last two games.
Manchester City vs Southampton Confirmed Lineups
Manchester City Lineup:
Ederson; Lewis, Akanji, Dias, Gvardiol; Kovacic; Savinho, Nunes, Silva, Foden; Haaland
Southampton Lineup:
Ramsdale; Walker-Peters, Harwood-Bellis, Bednarek, Stephens, Manning; Dibling, Fernandes, Downes, Lallana; Archer
Manchester City vs Southampton Prediction
Despite their growing list of absentees, as well as having failed to impress for the most part in their most recent Premier League outings, we’re backing City to come out on top at the Etihad by a comfortable margin.
The Cityzens have won each of their last four games and come into this one off the back of a 5-0 drubbing of Sparta Prague, a game in which Haaland ended a two-game goalscoring ‘drought’ with a double.
The Norwegian’s return to goalscoring form will be a major point of concern for the winless Saints, with the hosts earmarked as massive favourites to claim all three points by the UK’s best football betting sites.
Guardiola’s men should have no problem in dispatching their south coast opposition on Saturday.
Prediction: Manchester City 3-0 Southampton