Southampton vs Manchester City

Manchester City have the opportunity to strengthen their grip on a top-five finish in the Premier League when they travel to face already-relegated Southampton at St Mary’s Stadium on Saturday afternoon. A victory would not only solidify their position in the upper echelons of the table but also edge them closer to securing Champions League qualification for next season. The Citizens previously defeated Southampton 1-0 in the reverse fixture at the Etihad Stadium last October, with Erling Haaland’s early strike proving decisive. Another win would complete their seventh league double over the Saints, further emphasizing their recent dominance in this fixture.

For Southampton, the 2024-25 campaign has been nothing short of disastrous. Their fate was sealed weeks ago, confirming their immediate return to the Championship after a dismal top-flight season. Last weekend’s 2-0 defeat to Leicester City—themselves battling relegation—marked their 28th league loss of the season, ensuring they will finish at the foot of the table. Now, the Saints risk etching their name into Premier League infamy: one more defeat in their remaining three matches would see them equal the record for the most losses (29) in a 20-team Premier League season, a dubious distinction currently shared by Sunderland (2005-06), Derby County (2007-08), and Sheffield United (2020-21).

Beyond the sheer number of defeats, Southampton’s defensive frailties have been glaring. They have conceded 82 league goals this term, the fourth-highest in their entire history, surpassed only by their 1952-53 (85), 1966-67 (92), and 1967-68 (83) campaigns. Interim manager Simon Rusk, who took charge following yet another managerial change in a turbulent season, is desperate to salvage some pride in these final fixtures. However, one of the Saints’ most persistent issues has been their inability to hold onto leads—they have dropped a league-high 28 points from winning positions this season. Should they take the lead against Manchester City but fail to win, it would mark the first time in Premier League history that a team has squandered 30 or more points from ahead in a single campaign.

Historically, Southampton have struggled against Manchester City, winning just once in their last 15 top-flight meetings—a narrow 1-0 victory in July 2020 under former manager Ralph Hasenhüttl. Since then, the Saints have endured a miserable run against the Citizens, losing 11 of those encounters while drawing just three. Given their current form, breaking that streak seems improbable.

Manchester City, meanwhile, enter this fixture in buoyant mood. After a shaky end to 2024, Pep Guardiola’s side have strung together an impressive nine-game unbeaten run across all competitions (W7 D2), including four consecutive Premier League victories—their joint-longest winning streak of the season. Last weekend’s hard-fought 1-0 win over Wolverhampton Wanderers, courtesy of a Kevin De Bruyne goal, lifted them to third in the table, taking advantage of slip-ups by Newcastle United and Nottingham Forest.

The battle for Champions League qualification remains fiercely contested, with City just one point ahead of both Newcastle and Chelsea, who occupy fourth and fifth respectively. More intriguingly, they are only three points behind second-placed Arsenal, who face a tough test against champions Liverpool this weekend. Should results go their way, City could even secure a runners-up finish in what has been a rollercoaster season.

Their away form, however, has been inconsistent. A win at St Mary’s would mark their first consecutive away league victories since August. Yet, history suggests they should be confident—City are unbeaten in their last 29 Premier League matches against teams starting the day bottom of the table (W24 D5), a run stretching back to a 2-1 defeat at West Bromwich Albion in December 2008. Even more astonishingly, their last 12 such victories have come by an aggregate score of 44-1, underlining their ruthless efficiency against struggling opponents.

Since the 2004-05 season, Manchester City have lost just three of their 25 Premier League meetings with Southampton (W17 D5), though all three defeats occurred at St Mary’s. Guardiola’s side will be eager to avoid another slip-up and instead aim for back-to-back clean sheets against the Saints for the first time since the 2014-15 season.

For Southampton, the match represents little more than a chance to restore some dignity before their Championship return. For Manchester City, it is another crucial step toward securing European football and potentially salvaging a high league finish from a season that has tested their resolve.