Manchester City vs Southampton preview: Blues without six first-team regulars for visit of Saints

By Ric Turner, Fri 25 October 2024 13:20


Manchester City vs Southampton preview: Blues without six first-team regulars for visit of SaintsJack Grealish, Jeremy Doku, Kevin De Bruyne, Kyle Walker, Oscar Bobb and Rodri all sidelined

Manchester City vs Southampton

Competition: F.A. Premier League

Date: 3.00pm, Saturday 26th October 2024

Venue: Etihad Stadium, Manchester

Referee: Tony Harrington Assistants: D Eaton, A Howson Fourth Official: S Allison VAR: D Coote

Odds: City 1/10, Draw 9/1, Southampton 20/1

Tickets: Sold out

TV: Match of the Day

Manchester City

Manager: Pep Guardiola

Squad (from): Ederson, Ortega, Carson, Dias, Stones, Ake, Gvardiol, Akanji, Lewis, Kovacic, Gundogan, Silva, Nunes, Foden, McAtee, Haaland, Savinho

Injured: Rodri, Bobb, De Bruyne, Walker, Grealish, Doku

Doubtful: None

Suspended: None

Form guide: WWWWD

Southampton

Manager: Russell Martin

Squad (from): McCarthy, Lumley, Ramsdale, Walker-Peters, Manning, Harwood-Bellis, Edwards, Bree, Wood, Sugawara, Taylor, Larios, Bednarek, Downes, Aribo, Lallana, Fernandes, Sulemana, Ugochukwu, Armstrong, Vrereton, Archer, Cornet, Amo-Ameyaw

Injured: Bazunu, Stewart, Smallbone

Doubtful: Sugawara

Suspended: Fraser

Form guide: LLLDD

City are without six first-team regulars for the visit of Southampton tomorrow afternoon. Jack Grealish and Jeremy Doku join Kevin De Bruyne, Kyle Walker, Oscar Bobb and Rodri on the sidelines.

Southampton have endured a difficult start to the season, and have only secured one point from eight games, but City's manager belives that his Saints counterpart will be rewarded for their encoiraging performances.

“He will have success,” Pep Guardiola said at Friday's press conference.

“When this happens you always have success.

“If you change ideas and thoughts, not adjust something four or five at the back.

“If you start to change the thoughts, the players will notice and know you’re not a big believer. Sooner or later the results are coming.

“Always teams have bad results like Wolves but look what happens, we struggled to win.

“Against Brentford, Manchester United, for the first half hour Leicester they start really good.

“They have good moments and courage. The use of [Aaron] Ramsdale is always it’s difficult.

“After Champions League I prefer to play teams higher in the table for better concentration. It is what it is.”

City won their last home game against Southampton 4-0, with goals from Joao Cancelo, Phil Foden, Riyad Mahrez and Erling Haaland. Overall City have won 41 of the 101 games played against the Saints, with 27 draw and 33 defeats.

Predicted line-up: Ederson, Lewis, Dias, Akanji, Gvardiol, Kovacic, Gundogan, Bernardo, Foden, Savinho, Haaland

Score prediction: City 3 Southampton 0