Southampton vs Manchester City – Match preview and team news

The Football Faithful

·10 de mayo de 2025

Southampton vs Manchester City – Match preview and team news

Southampton welcome Pep Guardiola’s Manchester City to St. Mary’s Stadium this afternoon.

The Saints have already been relegated from the Premier League, while City have the opportunity to move level on points with Arsenal in second place with victory on the South Coast.

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Erling Haaland is poised to play his first game in over a month. The Norwegian striker has been hampered by an ankle injury, but his manager declared his availability in Friday’s pre-match press conference.

However, Nathan Ake, Oscar Bobb and Rodri are still sidelined as they struggle with the effects of long-term injuries.

PEP 💬 (On twists and turns in the UCL race) think there are six or seven teams that can qualify. We have to make a lot of points and after, if we make three victories, we will be there. It is in our hands. We don't need to wait for anything else. This is what we have to do. Win
– viernes, 9 de mayo de 2025

Southampton need just one point from their last three games to avoid sharing the unwanted record of the fewest points accumulated in a single Premier League season, with Derby County.

Interim manager Simon Rusk is operating with almost a fully fit squad for the visit of Manchester City.

Matheus Fernandes has recovered from the slight knock he sustained in the 2-0 defeat to Leicester last weekend. An ongoing injury has prevented January signing Albert Gronbaek from making an impact. The Rennes loanee has only managed five appearances since arriving in England. Charlie Taylor and Ryan Fraser are the only other potential absentees as they deal with minor issues.

Southampton vs Manchester City – Match preview and team news

Form

Southampton: LLDLL

Southampton haven’t tasted victory in any competition in 12 matches and have only collected two points in that period.

Last weekend, fellow relegated side Leicester comfortably conquered Simon Rusk’s side. Their inability to compete with a team that have also suffered the same fate is a damning indictment of their season as a whole.

In the Premier League, the Saints have scored the fewest goals, conceded the most and won only once at home all season. Preparations for next season will already be underway, with the club hoping for an immediate return to the top flight.

Manchester City: WWWWW

Manchester City’s form is the polar opposite of today’s opposition, having won each of their last five games.

That impressive streak has seen the Cityzens catapult themselves into a position of authority with three games remaining.

Champions League qualification is back in their control, but Newcastle, Chelsea and Nottingham Forest are all within three points of the seven-time Premier League champions.

Pep Guardiola and his players also have an FA Cup final to look forward to next weekend. They face Crystal Palace at Wembley Stadium, where City will be looking to lift the trophy for the eighth time in their history.

Last Meeting: Manchester City 1-0 Southampton, Premier League, 26th October 2024

A shaky Southampton defence was breached by Manchester City on only one occasion in the reverse fixture back in October.

It was the perfect start for City as they opened their account for the afternoon inside the opening five minutes.

Patient play culminated in Bernardo Silva slipping in fellow countryman Matheus Nunes down the left-flank.

The former Wolves midfielder swung an inviting cross into the middle where the ever-present Erling Haaland was situated to divert past Aaron Ramsdale. It was an impressive finish from City’s number nine, as he managed to score despite being hauled to the floor by Jan Bednarek.

The hosts pressed for a second, and Ramsdale needed to keep his wits about him to parry Mateo Kovacic’s drive. Against the run of play, Southampton almost levelled matters at the Etihad Stadium. A neat pass from Jack Stephens beat the offside trip and released Cameron Archer. The 23-year-old broke into the box and smashed an effort against the crossbar, with the pressure of the defenders narrowing the angle.

City resumed their control on proceedings after the break. Phil Foden drilled narrowly wide before Haaland’s header was cleared off the line by Taylor Harwood-Bellis. The Norwegian striker then inexplicably missed from a couple of yards following Savinho’s inch-perfect pass.

Haaland may have got himself on the scoresheet, but he was having a particularly wasteful game by his high standards. Another cross from the right was attacked by the forward, but he got his angles all wrong and ended up finding the goalkeeper’s palms with the goal gaping. Apart from Archer’s chance, the Saints rarely threatened Ederson’s goal. Three points in Manchester took Pep Guardiola’s side to the top of the table for Halloween.

Predicted Lineups

Southampton: Ramsdale; Walker-Peters, Harwood-Bellis, Bednarek, Stephens, Manning; Ugochukwu, Downes; Fernandes, Dibling, Onuachu.

Manchester City: Ederson; Nunes, Dias, Akanji, Gvardiol; Gundogan, Kovacic; Doku, De Bruyne, Marmoush; Haaland.

Who is the referee?

Tim Robinson will be the match official. Tim Wood and Steve Meredith will assist him, while Andy Madley will be the fourth official. Matt Donohue will be the VAR, and Nick Hopton will assist him.