Southampton host third placed Manchester City this weekend with both teams vying for Europa League and Champions League spots respectively.
The Saints are currently in eighth position in the league, one point behind Liverpool in seventh place and a couple of points behind West Ham in sixth, albeit having played a game more than the Reds and the Hammers.
Ronald Koeman’s side have lost just once in their last seven outings, which came against league leaders Leicester City. They must overcome Man City, Tottenham and Crystal Palace in their final three games of the season if they are to stand the slightest of chances to make that European spot. Offcourse they might still not be guaranteed a spot, if the teams above them are to win their remaining games as well. Either ways, it has been a fantastic for Koeman in a strange season in the Premier League.
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Manchester City will not have it easy going into the end of the season. Not only must they work extremely hard to remain in the top four but must also focus on the upcoming Champions League semi final against Real Madrid. Manuel Pellegrini might just have over four games left in charge of the Sky Blues and it would seem like they are all must wins.
Arsenal and Manchester United are breathing down their necks, and Pellegrini’s men face the Gunners next week. The Chilean manager is on the brink of winning the double after his side already clinched the League Cup, despite the announcement of Pep Guardiola’s appointment.
Sergio Aguero and Graziano Pelle have been in top form in recent weeks. The Argentine has scored seven of his 23 league goals in the last five matches and will look to add more before the season ends. Pelle has found form at the right time in the season, especially after he went 12 games without a goal. The Italian has netted four in his last five games and has now reached double figures in the Premier League for the second successive season.
While both teams might be good going forward, both are frail defensively. Even though City have kept 16 clean sheets this season, their defence has far more generous than expected. The likes of Eliaquim Mangala, Martin Demichelis and Nicolas Otamendi have performed below par. While the experienced Vincent Kompany might be fit again, it is likely that Pellegrini will rest his injury prone centre back for European competition.
A sea of blue made for a special atmosphere! Check out the best snaps from #cityvreal: https://t.co/Syz7V0YSuU #mcfc pic.twitter.com/xOSu6PnVFY
— Manchester City (@ManCity) April 27, 2016
The Saints welcomed back Fraser Forster in January after a long-term injury, but after keeping six consecutive clean sheets, he has failed to keep another since. Poor defending has cost Koeman’s side, and they even managed to concede two goals last week against struggling Aston Villa, a side who have scored only 25 league goals all season.
Both teams are on a similar run of form in the league, having each taken 13 points from their last six games. Only Tottenham and Leicester have done better during that period, with Southampton have scored 13 and City netting 14 times. The fixture looks a tight one on paper, with Southampton keen to pounce on what could be a tired City outfit after a midweek Champions League meeting with Real Madrid.
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