Southampton v Manchester City – Desperate City have the edge at St. Mary’s Updated for September 2024

Updated: 13th September 2024

2020-21 English Premier league preview: Southampton v Manchester City – St. Mary's stadium – Saturday, 19 December 2020 – 15:00hrs BST

Southampton v Manchester City Preview

Pep Guardiola's Man City visit St.Mary's stadium on Saturday to take on an in-form Southampton in a vital Premier League clash.

City are just out of an unsatisfying goalless draw with Manchester United away at Old Trafford where they were lucky to have survived a penalty and come out unscathed.

While the Citizens are through one of the worst starts to a season, Southampton are witnessing their best spell ever after 13 games as they stand 3rd on the points table and only behind Liverpool and Tottenham Hotspur.

Ralph Hasenhuttl's Saints drew 1-1 away at Arsenal on Wednesday night, with Theo Walcott's goal being cancelled out by Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang. After having started the season with back-to-back defeats, the Saints have lost just one of their 11 League matches since then.

City have achieved back-to-back wins only once, beating relegation zone outfits Burnley and Fulham prior to the Old Trafford draw. Other than that, the Premier League champions of 2018 and 2019 have only those two wins to show from their previous six domestic outings.

Southampton Premier League form: WDLWWD

Manchester City Premier League form: DLWWDD

Manchester City form (all competitions): WDWWDD

Hasenhuttl has no injury or suspension issues as such and may well be starting with the same XI that featured against Arsenal. Nathan Redmond and Moussa Djenepo having recovered from their injuries were brought on as second-half subs against Arsenal and are pushing for starts for Saturday's clash.

As for City, Oleksandr Zinchenko and Eric Garcia are their only two injury concerns.

Sergio Aguero seems to be gradually returning fitness and with a City side desperately in need of goals, the Argentine striker may be given a start.

The in-form center-back John Stones who was left out of the 1-1 draw to West Bromwich on Tuesday will in all probability start while Kyle Walker, Fernandinho and Riyad Mahrez will all be pushing for places in the starting XI.

Southampton probable XI in a 4-4-2 formation: Alex McCarthy; Kyle Walker-Peters, Jan Bednarek, Jannik Vestergaard, Ryan Bertrand; Theo Walcott, James Ward-Prowse, Oriol Romeu, Stuart Armstrong; Che Adams, Danny Ings

Manchester City probable XI in a 4-3-3 formation: Ederson (goal); Kyle Walker, John Stones, Ruben Dias, Joao Cancelo; Fernandinho, Ilkay Gundogan, Kevin de Bruyne; Riyad Mahrez, Sergio Aguero, Raheem Sterling.

Southampton v Manchester City Verdict

Southampton will look to stay compact and not commit themselves to attack while City quite naturally are likely to dominate possession and go at the Saints from the flanks.

The hosts will rely on set-pieces through Jan Bednarek and Jannik Vestergaard and will depend heavily on Theo Walcott, Che Adams and Danny Ings to hit on the breaks.

City have been far too inconsistent in the current season, as evinced from their 1-1 draw with minions West Brom, and another frustrating scoreline on the same lines can't be ruled out at Southampton on Saturday.

However considering City's impressive history with the Saints – seven wins from their last eight encounters and their desperation to prove a point, the UK bookmakers odds could be on Guardiola's men to take three pointson Saturday.

Southampton v Manchester City Bookmaker odds & Recommended bets

All the Bet365 odds quoted are subject to change and were correct as of 18/12/2020.

• Man City to win: 4/9
• Southampton: 6/1
• Draw: 7/2 with Bet365 (recommended bet)

Correct score odds

• Man City 2-1: 15/2
• Man City 1-0: 17/2
• Draw 1-1: 17/2 with Bet365 (predicted scoreline)
• Man City 3-1: 11/1
• Southampton 2-1: 22/1
• Man City 3-2: 20/1
• Southampton 1-0: 22/1

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