Southampton will be faced with possibly their toughest test of the season so far this Sunday as they take on Pep Guardiola’s Manchester City side.

Saints head into the game unbeaten in four consecutive Premier League matches, whilst City have lost just one top flight match in the league this season, against Tottenham Hotspur away from home.

It’s sure to be a tricky one for Claude Puel, especially given that it’s just two days between the Inter Milan defeat on Thursday night.

However, Saints are known for pulling off surprises, so Sunday could provide just that if Puel sets out correctly.

To gain a better insight of just how City’s fans are feeling heading into the game, I spoke to Read Manchester City editor Jack Brain about the upcoming match.

I’d like to thank Jack for such insightful, in-depth answers.


A couple of frustrating games against Everton and Barcelona in recent times. Do you expect City to bounce back against Saints?

I think the Barcelona game was a great response from the Everton game, but the scoreline showed otherwise. We were actually right in the match but we made four mistakes and they capitalised on all of them. City should bounce back against Southampton, but the Premier League is the most unpredictable league in the world.


Pep Guardiola’s come in and impressed many, can you see him leading you to the title this season?

This period of four games without a win is Guardiola’s biggest test. After the flawless start, the question was, how would City react to a loss? This is the answer. I expected us to drop points in two of the four games anyway, so this isn’t a major problem at the moment. However, if it’s extended to five games then questions will be asked. I think that City will win the title this season, but I wouldn’t want to put any money on it.


What have you made of Claude Puel’s start at Saints?

I haven’t seen that much of Southampton under Puel. Thursday’s performance against Inter Milan looked very solid despite the loss and I enjoyed watching the Saints against West Ham last month. The football they played was brilliant. Hopefully, they won’t play that well against City!


Where can you see weaknesses in both sides?

At the moment, a lot of City fans are concerned about Claudio Bravo, whose start to life at the Etihad has been less than pleasing. However, I’m more concerned about the Sergio Aguero situation. I initially thought that Guardiola was resting him after an injury scare during the international break but it appears that his complaints about Aguero not doing enough in the false nine role were more than just a hitch. After the lack of decisiveness at the Nou Camp, Aguero has to be in the team.

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Southampton, meanwhile, have one of the best defences in the Premier League but I don’t think that they have enough athleticism in midfield to cope with City. I’m a big fan of Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg but prefer him in a more advanced role. I think that Southampton’s best bet is to sit deep and hit City on the break because they won’t be able to deal with the fast-paced attacking football that City play otherwise.


Which Saints player are you most worried about?

Dusan Tadic by a mile. He is one of the most under-appreciated attacking midfielders in the Premier League. From what I’ve seen, he would be perfect for Guardiola’s style of play, which makes him all the more dangerous when facing the Spanish coach.


What’s your score prediction for the game?

I’m going to be cautious and go for 2-1. I think that City will have a tough time breaking down the Southampton defence but still manage to get the win. Another couple of predictions for you: City will have over 70% possession and score a penalty.