Manchester City is riding high, with a nine-match unbeaten run (7 wins, 2 draws) across all competitions.
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As Southampton prepares to face Manchester City at St. Mary’s, they look to end a difficult season on a positive note, despite being already relegated.
The Saints have struggled throughout the campaign, and their record indicates a challenging road ahead, with the club having only won one of their last 15 Premier League encounters against Manchester City.
Southampton’s Battle to Avoid Records
Southampton’s poor form has left them guaranteed to finish rock bottom, with 28 defeats already under their belt.
Their performance against Leicester City, a 2-0 loss, marked yet another setback.
The Saints are on the brink of breaking unwanted records, such as matching the most losses in a Premier League season (29) and coming close to the lowest-ever points tally (11) in Premier League history.
Despite these struggles, interim manager Simon Rusk is trying to find the right formula to avoid further slip-ups.
Southampton has dropped the most points from winning positions in the league this season (28), and another defeat could mark a historically bad campaign.
Manchester City’s Strong Finish
In contrast, Manchester City is riding high, with a nine-match unbeaten run (7 wins, 2 draws) across all competitions.
After edging Wolverhampton Wanderers 1-0, they’ve climbed to third in the Premier League, just three points behind Arsenal in second.
The Citizens are in a tight race for the Champions League spots, with just three games remaining.
City will look to continue their momentum, having not lost any of their last 29 matches against teams starting the day bottom of the table.
They also won the reverse fixture 1-0, a hard-fought victory, but they’ll be aiming for a more dominant result this time.
Key Players and Injuries
For Southampton, the injury list includes Albert Gronbaek (Achilles) and Charlie Taylor (hip), while Paul Onuachu is expected to start after recovering from an ankle issue.
Kamaldeen Sulemana and Mateus Fernandes will likely retain their places in the starting lineup, with Tyler Dibling potentially starting from the bench.
In midfield, Flynn Downes and Lesley Ugochukwu are expected to feature.
Manchester City, meanwhile, will be without Rodri, Nathan Ake, John Stones, and Oscar Bobb.
However, Erling Haaland is expected to return from injury, and he will lead the attack alongside support from Jeremy Doku and Omar Marmoush.
Kevin De Bruyne may be rested for the game, with Guardiola potentially opting for Phil Foden or Nico Gonzalez.
Prediction
With Southampton’s defense conceding at least two goals in 14 of their last 18 league games, Manchester City’s attacking firepower, led by Haaland, will likely prove too much for the Saints.
City’s recent form and Southampton’s defensive frailties point to a convincing win for the visitors.
Final Score Prediction: Southampton 0-4 Manchester City
Team News Overview:
Southampton: Ramsdale; Harwood-Bellis, Bednarek, Stephens; Walker-Peters, Downes, Ugochukwu, Manning; Fernandes, Sulemana; Onuachu
Manchester City: Ederson; Nunes, Dias, Gvardiol, O’Reilly; Gonzalez, Gundogan, Bernardo; Marmoush, Haaland, Doku
