Manchester City will be looking to go top of the Premier League by beating Southampton on Saturday.
Manchester City vs Southampton best bets
Manchester City to win both halves – 4/5 with Betfred
Manchester City over 3.5 goals – 6/5 with Betfred
Erling Haaland to score two or more goals – 2/1 with Betfred
Manchester City vs Southampton FC odds
Find the latest match odds for Manchester City vs Southampton. All odds are provided by our best football betting sites. Odds are subject to change.
Manchester City vs Southampton predictions
There is still a long way to go in the Premier League title race, but Manchester City will be feeling reasonably pleased with how things have started this season.
Pep Guardiola’s side have not been perfect. They drew 2-2 with Arsenal in a crunch clash last month, before dropping two points against Newcastle United a few days later.
City have won their other six matches, though, and in a strange way Guardiola might be happy enough that his team are not currently top. That honour belongs to Liverpool, who may soon have to cope with raised expectations in Arne Slot’s debut campaign at the helm.
City will rise to the summit of the standings if they beat Southampton on Saturday. A win here would allow them to put their feet up while watching Arsenal and Liverpool slug it out at the Emirates Stadium the following day.
Last weekend is one that City may ultimately look back on as significant. First, Arsenal went down to a 2-0 defeat by Bournemouth, with William Saliba’s red card in the first half proving to be the turning point.
City did not have everything their own way either. It looked like they would be held to a 1-1 draw by Wolverhampton Wanderers, only for John Stones to nod home a dramatic winner in the fifth minute of second-half stoppage time.
Given that 90 points is the minimum required to win the title these days, teams cannot afford to drop too many points against bottom-half opponents. Arsenal gave up three last time out, while City narrowly avoided leaving any on the table.
It would be a shock if they even came close to drawing or losing Saturday’s showdown against Southampton, who have endured a tough start to life back at the top table.
The Saints turned a 2-0 lead against Leicester City into a 3-2 loss last weekend. That was a huge psychological blow to Russell Martin, who must be starting to fear for his future after a winless start.
In those circumstances a trip to the Etihad Stadium, where Manchester City have not lost in any competition for almost two years, is the last thing Martin needed.
Manchester City vs Southampton betting tips. 18+ GambleAware.org – Please play responsibly.
Manchester City vs Southampton betting tips
Manchester City are overwhelming favourites to get the better of Southampton this weekend.
Manchester City to win both halves
It will surprise no one to learn that Manchester City have the highest average possession in the Premier League so far this term.
Yet a few readers’ eyebrows may raise when they hear Southampton are sixth in that particular ranking, ahead of teams like Manchester United, Newcastle United, Aston Villa and Arsenal.
That is not necessarily a good thing. Despite having a fair amount of the ball, Southampton do not create enough chances. They are also too easy to play through.
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Needless to say, the Saints will not dominate possession this weekend, but we have not seen anything from them that suggests they are capable of making life difficult for City.
It is hard to forecast anything other than a comfortable home win in this one.
Back Manchester City to win both halves at 4/5 with Betfred
Manchester City over 3.5 goals
Southampton have given up 18 goals in their eight top-flight encounters since promotion; only Wolves have a leakier backline.
Meanwhile only Brentford and Leicester have conceded more shots than Martin’s charges.
None of which bodes well for a meeting with Manchester City, a team that regularly runs up the score on home turf.
In half of their last eight league games at the Etihad, City have put the ball in the back of the net at least four times.
Their victims in that time were Aston Villa, Luton Town, Wolves and Ipswich, and Southampton will be worried about their name being added to the list on Saturday.
Goal difference could be a factor in the title race this term, so there is an incentive to beat relegation candidates as handsomely as possible.
Choose over 3.5 goals for Manchester City at 6/5 with Betfred
Erling Haaland to score two or more goals
By his own sky-high standards, Erling Haaland is on a goal drought in the Premier League.
The Norway international made the net ripple 10 times in his first five league appearances, but he has not scored in any of his last three outings in the division.
Still, it is only a matter of time before Haaland is back among the goals in the league. A brace against Sparta Prague in Europe will have done him no harm whatsoever.
Southampton’s defence has been undone by virtually every team they have faced up to now, and Haaland will be licking their lips at the prospect of facing them.
A brace or better is well within the striker’s grasp against the Saints.
Tip Erling Haaland to score two or more goals at 2/1 with Betfred
How to watch Manchester City vs Southampton
Location: Etihad Stadium, Manchester, England.
Date and time: Saturday 26th October, 3pm.
How to watch: Not being shown live in the UK.
Read more about the 2024/25 football season
Premier League winner predictions
Premier League relegation odds
About the author
Greg Lea
Greg Lea is a freelance football writer from London. He predominantly covers the Premier League and has had work published by the Guardian, FourFourTwo, ESPN and others.
Follow Greg on X: @GregLeaFootball
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