Date: Saturday 18th September, 2021
Time: 3:00 pm
Stadium Etihad Stadium
Referee Jonathan Moss (England)
Goal Scorer:
Team News
Manchester City
Manchester City will again miss the services of backup goalkeeper Zack Steffen this weekend. The American is still in self-isolation after testing positive for COVID-19. Also, left-back Benjamin Mendy has been handed a suspension by the club and is currently in police custody. He will not be featuring anytime soon.
Pep Guardiola will keep the favourable 4-3-3 setup intact with Gabriel Jesus, Kyle Walker and Ilkay Gundogan all returning to the starting XI for Saturday’s fixture after making substitute appearances in the midweek. Phil Foden had his first outing of the season against RB Leipzig on midweek; however, it is far too early to expect him to start the game on Saturday afternoon.
John Stones and Aymeric Laporte are set to miss out on the Southampton game due to respective injury issues, which mean Nathan Ake and Ruben Dias will keep their places as centre-back partnership protecting Ederson, who will take his place between the sticks. Joao Cancelo and Walker will provide the width to the backline and will push forwards to break down the opponents.
New-signing Jack Grealish has started every game for Man City this season, so Pep Guardiola may decide to give him some rest. Raheem Sterling, on the other hand, has only started once in five games. He is pushing for a start and may get one on the weekend.
Gabriel Jesus and Ferran Torres will join Sterling to form a front-three. Jesus has been a revelation since moving out-wide while Torres’ provides sharp movements and incisive runs to cause problems for the opposition backline.
Probable Lineup (4-3-3): Ederson; Walker, Ake, Dias, Cancelo; De Bruyne, Rodri, Gundogan; Jesus, Torres, Sterling
Southampton
Similar to his counterpart in the Manchester City dugout, Ralph Hasenhuttl also has a fair few injury concerns ahead of the trip to the Etihad. In his pre-match press conference, the Saints boss confirmed that both Stuart Armstrong and Theo Walcott would remain unavailable for selection through respective injuries.
William Smallbone is back in full training after spending eight months on the sidelines due to a long-term injury but is unlikely to feature in the City game. Shane Long has fully recovered from coronavirus, but Saturday’s game might come too soon for him and will start on the bench.
The German boss may shift to a 4-2-3-1 formation with McCarthy in goal, Mohammed Salisu and Jack Stephens as the centre-back pairing flanked by Valentino Livramento and Romain Perraud as pushing full-backs.
James Ward-Prowse and Oriol Romeu will be deployed in the centre of the pitch as a double pivot, trying to thwart Manchester City’s attacks. Ward-Prowse, meanwhile, will also play a significant part in set-piece scenarios as usual.
Out wide, Moussa Djenepo and Nathan Redmond will likely be favoured, with Theo Walcott missing out. Finally, Adam Armstrong will have the responsibility to lead the Saints attacking frontline and will hope to convert from the limited amount of chances he will get in front of goal.
Probable Lineup (4-2-3-1): McCarthy; Livramento, Salisu, Stephens, Perraud; Ward-Prowse Romeu; Redmond, Elyounoussi, Djenepo; Adam Armstrong
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Key Stats
Man City have won eight of their last nine Premier League meetings against Southampton, the only exception is a 1-0 loss at St Mary’s in July 2020.
Southampton have failed to score in only one of their previous 16 away trips to City, but they have also been unable to register a single clean sheet in across of the last 11 games.
The Citizens have came out victorious in each of their last three home Premier League matches by a 5-0 score line – only Everton (1931) and Aston Villa (1899) are the two Premier League teams to have won four consecutive home games by a margin of five goals or more.
The Saints are experiencing a rot as they are winless in their previous six top-flight games (D3 L3), drawing each of the last three on trot. The last time Southampton went on a 4-game drawing streak was back in Mar 2002.
Man City winger Raheem Sterling has a very good record against the visitors, scoring 7 and assisting a further four in 16 appearances versus Saints.
Man City have won eight of their last nine Premier League meetings against Southampton, the only exception is a 1-0 loss at St Mary’s in July 2020.
Southampton have failed to score in only one of their previous 16 away trips to City, but they have also been unable to register a single clean sheet in across of the last 11 games.
The Citizens have came out victorious in each of their last three home Premier League matches by a 5-0 score line – only Everton (1931) and Aston Villa (1899) are the two Premier League teams to have won four consecutive home games by a margin of five goals or more.
The Saints are experiencing a rot as they are winless in their previous six top-flight games (D3 L3), drawing each of the last three on trot. The last time Southampton went on a 4-game drawing streak was back in Mar 2002.
Man City winger Raheem Sterling has a very good record against the visitors, scoring 7 and assisting a further four in 16 appearances versus Saints.
Prediction: Manchester City 3-1 Southampton
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