Manchester City vs Southampton - match preview

By Ric Turner, Fri 27 November 2015 13:18


Manchester City vs Southampton - match previewDavid Silva returns to squad but Joe Hart ruled out through injury

Manchester City vs Southampton

Date: 15.00pm, Saturday 28th November 2015

Venue: Etihad Stadium, Manchester

Referee: Roger East Assistants: R West, A Nunn Fourth Official: A Taylor

Odds: City 4/7, Draw 16/5, Liverpool 5/1

Tickets: Sold out

TV: Match of the Day

Manchester City

Manager: Manuel Pellegrini

Squad (from): Caballero, Wright, Clichy, Demichelis, Kolarov, Otamendi, Sagna, De Bruyne, Delph, Fernandinho, Fernando, Navas, Roberts, Silva, Sterling, Toure, Aguero, Bony, Iheanacho

Injured: Nasri, Kompany, Hart, Zabaleta, Mangala

Doubtful: None

Suspended: None

Form guide: LDWDWW

Southampton

Manager: Ronald Koeman

Squad (from): K Davis, Gazzaniga, Stekelenburg, Bertrand, Caulker, Cedric, Fonte, Martina, McCarthy, Targett, Van Dijk, Yoshida, Clasie, S Davis, Isgrove, Mane, McQueen, Ramirez, Reed, Romeu, Tadic, Wanyama, Ward-Prowse, Juanmi, Long

Injured: Forster, Gardos, Rodriguez

Doubtful: None

Suspended: Pelle

Form guide: LWWDDW

Joe Hart has been ruled of the game as a result of the injury he suffered in the midweek defeat to Juventus. Willy Caballero will deputise, with Richard Wright on the bench. Pablo Zabaleta and Eliaquim Mangala also miss out, along with Vincent Kompany and Samir Nasri.

On a brighter note for Manuel Pellegrini, David Silva and Wilfried Bony return to the squad and the manager was quick to highlight the importance of the Spanish playmaker.

“It’s important to have David back - he is a very important player, the same as Kun. It’s very difficult to replace him.

“David gives us a different way of playing – we have good possession against teams with eight or nine players of theirs behind the ball and David is the player with the most accurate passes in the final third.”

City's last home game against Southampton ended in 2-0 victory for the Blues, with goals from Frank Lampard and Sergio Aguero. Overall City have won 28 of the 82 games played against Southampton, with 24 draws and 30 defeats.

Prediction: City 2 Southampton 1