Southampton vs Manchester City

Manchester City could edge closer to clinching a top-five spot in the Premier League with a victory over relegated Southampton at St Mary's this Saturday.

The Citizens aim to secure their seventh Premier League double against the Saints, having narrowly triumphed 1-0 in their earlier meeting at the Etihad Stadium last October, thanks to an early strike from Erling Haaland.
Southampton are confirmed to finish at the bottom of the Premier League this season, following their 28th defeat in a 2-0 loss to 19th-placed Leicester City last weekend.

The Saints risk matching an unwanted Premier League record, as one more loss in their final three matches would tie them with the most defeats (29) in a 20-team season, a mark previously set by Sunderland (2005-06), Derby County (2007-08), and Sheffield United (2020-21).

Needing just one point to avoid matching Derby's record-low 11 points from 2007-08, Southampton have conceded 82 goals this season, a tally only surpassed three times in their history: 85 in 1952-53, 92 in 1966-67, and 83 in 1967-68.

Interim manager Simon Rusk is focused on finishing the season strongly and finding ways to hold onto leads. The Saints have squandered more points from winning positions (28) than any other Premier League side this season, and failing to hold a lead against City could see them become the first team to lose 30+ points from winning positions in a single campaign.

A win against Manchester City will be tough, as Southampton have only beaten them once in their last 15 top-flight encounters (D3 L11), with their sole victory being a 1-0 home win in July 2020 under former manager Ralph Hasenhuttl.

In contrast, Manchester City are in fine form, enjoying a nine-match unbeaten streak across all competitions (W7 D2) and winning their last four Premier League games, matching their longest winning run this season.
Club icon Kevin De Bruyne, soon to depart, scored the decisive goal in a 1-0 victory over a profligate Wolverhampton Wanderers side last week at the Etihad, propelling Pep Guardiola's team to third place, capitalizing on dropped points by Newcastle United and Nottingham Forest.

With the battle for Champions League qualification heating up, City hold a one-point lead over Newcastle and Chelsea in fourth and fifth, respectively, and a crucial three-point cushion over sixth-placed Forest. With three games left, the possibility of finishing second in a challenging 2024-25 campaign has emerged, as City trail Arsenal by just three points, with the Gunners set to face champions Liverpool this weekend.