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Southampton FC – Manchester City
This weekend Manchester City have a very special game coming up in the Premier League. The second in the table travels to the unloved neighbours at Old Trafford on Saturday. Before that, however, Pep Guardiola’s team still has the quarter-finals of the EFL Cup on the agenda. The Citizens host league rivals Southampton FC on Wednesday evening.
Southampton have had a season to forget so far. The Saints are in last place in the Premier League and have only picked up twelve points. Southampton have lost all of their last six league games. In the FA Cup, however, there was a sense of achievement on Saturday. The Saints defeated Crystal Palace 2-1 in the third round.
Manchester City play the way Pep Guardiola’s teams usually play. City dominate their opponents and are always dangerous in front of goal. Nevertheless, Man City are only second in the Premier League and are already five points behind leaders Arsenal. At the weekend, the Skyblues won the FA Cup against Chelsea 4:0. Find out whether City will also triumph in the EFL Cup in our Southampton vs Man City tip.
Southampton – Man City Info:
– Date & Time: 11/01/2023, 21:00.
– Venue: St Mary’s Stadium, Southampton
– Competition: EFL Cup, Quarter-Finals
– TV coverage: DAZN
Southampton Form & Balance Check
Almost four years Ralph Hasenhüttl was coach at Southampton FC. The Austrian, who had spells in Germany with Unterhaching, Aalen, Ingolstadt and Leipzig, was on the sidelines for the Saints for 173 games and picked up an average of 1.26 points. However, Hasenhüttl’s lack of points in the league has been his undoing this year. The 55-year-old’s tenure ended last November after a 4-1 defeat at home to Newcastle.
Under his successor Nathan Jones, however, things have not gone so much better so far. Jones lost all of his first four Premier League games as Southampton coach. The Saints’ losing streak in the league now stands at six games. In the FA Cup, however, Southampton celebrated a sense of achievement last Saturday. The Saints won 2-1 at league rivals Crystal Palace and now face Blackpool in the fourth round. In the EFL Cup, Southampton have beaten three League One teams in the first three rounds so far, Cambridge, Sheffield Wednesday and Lincoln.
Offensive and defensive deficiencies
Southampton have neither the worst defence, nor the worst offence in the Premier League. However, the Saints are not too far off that inglorious record either. Southampton have only managed 15 goals so far this season. Only three teams scored fewer goals in the league. The top scorer is Ché Adams with only four goals. In addition, the Saints have also already conceded 33 goals. In fact, only two teams have an even worse record here.
Southampton facts & analysis
– Bottom of the Premier League table.
– Winless in last seven league games
– Only played against third-tier teams in the EFL Cup so far
Man City form & balance check
Manchester City have been English champions in four of the past five seasons. In the same period, the Citizens also won the EFL Cup four times. City won the English League Cup four years in a row. Last year, however, Manchester City surprisingly lost to West Ham United on penalties in the last 16. This season, Pep Guardiola wants to bring the title back to Manchester with his team.
In the first two rounds in which the Citizens took part in the EFL Cup, there were direct hammer duels. The Skyblues first beat Chelsea in the third round and then knocked Liverpool out of the cup in the last 16. Man City are also playing a good role in the league this season. However, the Citizens have already lost two games and drawn three. As a result, Man City are now already five points behind league leaders Arsenal.
Furious attack
Once again, Man City’s showpiece this season has been their attack. They have scored 45 goals in 17 games. This logically gives City the strongest attack in the league. Erling Haaland, who has scored 21 goals so far, has also amazed the whole of England by now. But his backup, Julián Álvarez, is also fitting in well with the team. In the league, Álvarez has scored three goals so far and in both the EFL Cup and the FA Cup, the 22-year-old scored a goal. The Argentine also won the World Cup in Qatar with his country in December, scoring four goals in the tournament.
Man City facts & analysis
– Currently in 2nd place in the Premier League.
– 39 points after 17 games
– Won the Champions League group with aplomb
Predicted line-up – last update on 10 January 2023
Southampton managed to beat a Premier League side in the FA Cup last Saturday for the first time since mid-October. In that game, the Saints had a 4-2-3-1 formation. Therefore, we think Southampton will also play in this system against City. Tino Livramento will be out injured.
Pep Guardiola recently sent his team out with an attacking 4-1-4-1. Against Southampton, players like Haaland or De Bruyne will probably be spared again. Former Arminia Bielefeld player Stefan Ortega will be back in goal
Southampton – Man City Direct comparison & Statistics
Both teams have played each other 80 times so far. Manchester City have 33 victories in direct duels. Southampton have been victorious 25 times. However, the Saints have only won one match against Man City in the last 15 games. The Citizens won the first meeting this season 4-0.
– Only three Southampton wins against Man City since 2005.
– Southampton average 1.28 goals in home games
– When Manchester City lead 1-0 in away games, they win 78% of matches
– Manchester City have scored in each of their last 11 matches
