The Premier League is winding down in 2018, and what a year it’s been. The division has experienced many ups and many downs over the course of the last twelve months, but of course, there’s still a whole other set of fixtures to go. Some intriguing games will be taking place over the course of the next two days or so, and we can’t wait to see who is able to round out the year with a win. Two teams who find themselves in very different positions in that regard are Southampton and Manchester City, and they’ll meet on the south coast this weekend.

The Saints appear to have gone from a team with very little prospects to a really exciting one, which should showcase what a good managerial change can do. Manchester City, on the other hand, have faltered in recent weeks, which is why this game is considered to be so overwhelmingly important for them. While it’s not like these 90 minutes are going to decide whether or not they win the title or anything like that, a loss could mean that they end up 10 points behind the pace heading into the New Year.

We don’t need to be the ones to tell you that it wouldn’t be ideal if that was to be the case, especially given the start to the season they made. Pep Guardiola has been able to put together one of the best squads in Europe and while some will suggest that they’re just putting too much attention on other competitions, we don’t believe that’s the case. The busy winter period is enough to make any major team stumble, and while there’s certainly an added sense of pressure around the Etihad because of it, it’s not exactly something that Pep can’t handle.

Ralph Hasenhuttl, on the other hand, is in a pretty good position – all things considered, that is. He’s got the rest of the season to whip his team into shape, and based on how he’s begun his tenure, it’s safe to say they won’t be one of the leading contenders for the drop. There’s still a long way to go for the Saints and nothing is guaranteed in the top flight of English football, but the early signs are good. Now they just need to get rid of some of the deadwood and bring in a few new faces in order to really freshen the side up.

Southampton’s last six games have been intriguing, with Mark Hughes actually putting up a fight during his last game against Manchester United where he earned a 2-2 draw. They wound up losing their next game 3-1 against Tottenham which was to be expected as they were still searching for a new boss, but then in came Hasenhuttl. They may have lost against Cardiff and West Ham United since he took over, but big wins over Huddersfield Town and Arsenal have helped to boost the morale of fans who were just kind of searching for a reason to get behind their team again.

City, on the other hand, are in a spot of bother. Their last six game stretch began with a 2-0 loss at the hands of Chelsea, marking the official end to their unbeaten run in the Premier League. They managed to bounce back with wins over Hoffenheim and Everton, before barely scraping past Leicester in the League Cup. After that they lost in a shocker against Crystal Palace at home, before the Foxes gained a measure of revenge by defeating Guardiola’s side in the Premier League. Now, they’re facing the very real prospect of going three league games without a win for the first time in what feels like forever.

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The head to head between these two teams, bizarrely, is a lot more even than you may think – even after City’s rise over the course of the last decade or so. The visitors do indeed lead the overall standings 33-31 with 25 draws, but that feels like it’s far closer than most would’ve predicted. Their first meeting came back in 1910 and they’ve gone back and forth ever since then, with their last meeting only taking place last month on November 4th when City dismantled the Saints with an emphatic 6-1 triumph at home.

The home fans will be happy to hear that Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg is available after his recent suspension, which ensured he missed the defeat at the hands of West Ham United. Ryan Bertrand and Michael Obafemi are still out injured with Mario Lemina being a doubt courtesy of a stomach issue, but Southampton should be feeling pretty confident either way. Sure, they don’t exactly match up to the star power of City, but when has that ever been an issue in a David vs Goliath encounter in this division?

Fabian Delph will miss out through suspension following his red card, although City certainly have enough strength in depth in that area to ensure they won’t be worrying too much. Fernandinho is set to sit this one out thanks to a thigh injury, as fans continue to worry regarding his long term health. David Silva has been able to shake off a recent hamstring issue and even made an appearance against Leicester, but now that he’s getting back to full fitness, many will be wondering whether or not he’ll get a start under his belt. If he does, he’s exactly the kind of playmaker that could cause the Saints backline problems.

Southampton vs Manchester City Betting Prediction

The longer this game goes without a goal, the more worried City fans are going to become – and rightly so. They’re at a stage during their season where it’s not all too difficult to imagine them losing their Premier League crown to Liverpool, and that must be a weird position for their supporters to be in. We can see Southampton starting off the game positively because they’ve got no real reason to be afraid of City anymore, and we actually think they’re going to take the lead, as bizarre as that would’ve sounded a month or two ago.

Alas, City will eventually equalise, and then the flood gates will open. They’ve got a lot of anger and frustration to get out and we can see them unloading in a big way on Southampton. They’ll end up scoring four to give us a final scoreline of 4-1, and from that, City will have a slice of redemption. They won’t quite be title favourites again as it seems obvious to suggest Liverpool hold that mantle at this moment in time, but they’ll be hoping that Arsenal can do them a favour which doesn’t seem that unlikely.

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