Premier League: City Won’t be Kind to the Relegation-Threatened Saints

Southampton vs Manchester City

Southampton are fighting for their Premier League lives, and they’ll face their biggest test yet when they host Manchester City at St. Mary’s Stadium this Saturday.

The Saints already beat the Sky Blues earlier this year, and a lot has happened since then. What hasn’t changed, though, is the fact that there’s still a sizable gap between these two sides.

The hosts have changed their manager, but they’re still at the bottom of the Premier League standings. The visitors, on the other hand, are in second place, but they’re miles away from league leaders Arsenal.

The SBOTOP betting odds expect a Manchester City victory this weekend, but the Sky Blues cannot underestimate the desperate Saints.

Talking Points

Selles worried about Southampton pair

Che Adams and Mohammed Salisu were missing from Southampton’s 1-0 loss to West Ham at the London Stadium last Sunday, and Ruben Selles is hoping to have them both back against Manchester City.

The group particularly missed Adams and Salisu because they were injured over the international break.

Adams is the team’s top goal scorer (especially in open play) with 10 goals, and he has three assists. If he is out on Sunday, Sekou Mara or Theo Walcott will continue to lead up front.

Southampton need more muscle at the back, and Salisu beefs up their centre-half. With Armel Bella-Kotchap sidelined due to a dislocated shoulder, Duje Caleta-Car has taken his place in the starting lineup, but he hasn’t really done well.

James Ward-Prowse will have to be the star against Manchester City, regardless of whether Adams and Salisu are available. The 28-year-old is a maestro in midfield, and the Sky Blues would be wary to give him any free-kick opportunities.

Saints manager Ruben Selles has brought improvements to the club, but those need to be turned into points for them to survive in the English top-flight.

Haaland probable to return

Erling Haaland has returned to training, which is a huge boost for Manchester City ahead of this Southampton game.

Haaland suffered a groin injury in their 6-0 victory against Burnley during the FA Cup quarter-finals. Because of this, he also had to withdraw from Norway during the first two games of the Euro 2024 qualifiers.

He was also absent last Saturday, but was seen celebrating in the stands as Manchester City thumped Liverpool with a 4-1 scoreline at the Etihad.

Pep Guardiola would want to whip Erling Haaland into top shape as soon as possible since they have a big Champions League quarter-final tie against Bayern Munich on Tuesday.

Haaland is a fixture in the Premier League 2023 highlights reel. He has scored 42 goals in 37 games across all competitions for Manchester City this season, and City fans can’t wait to see him back in action because he has been as good as advertised.

History

This is going to be the third meeting of the season between Southampton and Manchester City. The Sky Blues won their Premier League encounter last October, while the Saints got their revenge in the EFL Cup quarter-finals.

Manchester City crushed Southampton at the Etihad with a 4-0 scoreline, as Joao Cancelo, Phil Foden, Riyad Mahrez, and Erling Haaland all found the back of the net.

But in January, the Saints eliminated the Sky Blues in the EFL Cup, defeating them with a scoreline of 2-0 thanks to Sekou Mara and Moussa Djenepo’s goals in the first half.

Southampton have only won one of their last 13 Premier League matches against Manchester City (D3, L9). Their last victory was a 1-0 result at home in July 2020.

Manchester City have won four of their last six away league games against Southampton (D1, L1).

Betting Tip

Manchester City are the huge favourites to win, according to the Premier League 2023 odds. They are priced at 1.25, and they have a big edge over Southampton, who are installed at 9.00. On the other hand, a draw is at 5.40 in the 1X2 market.

Southampton have made this a competitive fixture given their recent success over Manchester City, and overall, they’ve improved against big teams under Ruben Selles.

However, Manchester City haven’t lost a Premier League match against the Saints, and such a trend should continue this weekend. Football fans at St. Mary’s can expect another high-scoring affair between these two, although the visitors are likely to score more. So, you can’t go wrong by betting on either Over 2.50 at 2.14 or Total Goals 2-3 at 2.09 as alternatives.

 

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