Another day, another cup…

…and just 2-½ day before a certain league-derby game. They just keep coming ‘thick ‘n’ fast’!

v Southampton

St. Mary's Stadium

Predicted line-up, subs and outcome:

(Number correct from the starting line-up in the last game: 7/11).

Fluid 4-1-4-1 / 4-5-1 / 4-3-3:

____________________Alvarez____________________

 

 

Grealish_________________________________Palmer

 

________Gundogan_____________De Bruyne_______

 

____________________Phillips____________________

Gomez___________________________________Lewis

__________­___Ake_____________Stones___________

 

 

_____________________Ortega____________________

Subs: Ederson, Cancelo, Walker, Akanji, Rodri, Foden, Silva, Mahrez & Haaland.

Stefan to continue in net.

Will Sergio get two back-to-back starts at left-wing back? One extreme to the other? Perhaps not – Joao Cancelo could well start this one. However, I’m just going with my instincts and I’m sticking the Spaniard ‘in there’ over the Portuguese international. Joining the 22-year-old in defence I’m going for Nathan, John & Rico.

Did you see all of Pep’s pre-match press conference? I think it was about 24-minutes long and it felt like 20 of those minutes were questions and long answers about Kalvin Phillips! Yep…I believe he may just start this one. 😊

Ahead of the England international in more advance midfield positions are Jack, assuming he’s over his off-colour feeling of course, Ilkay, Kevin & Cole. I’m going to ignore our manager’s suggestions that Kevin might not get a start tonight after playing so many minutes in recent months and, especially, ahead of the early kick-off on Saturday (12:30pm GMT). Others who played just 3 days ago need a bit of a break too and I think we might, therefore, see the Belgium international start and-perhaps get replaced; if not at half time, then no later than the 60^th minute. Surely, he can’t go into a crucial league fixture / derby game with nothing but training legs in the previous 9 days, can he?

Julian to get another start ‘up top’.

Ederson keeps another seat warm on the side for the second game in a row; Joao, Kyle & Manuel make up the defensive options in ‘the 9’. Rodders, Phil, Barnardo & Riyad provide back-up in the midfielder / wing department, while Erling sits in anticipation of-perhaps getting a cameo role in this fixture; no doubt itching to have another pop at the Trafford Reds on Saturday.

Notable absences:

-       Benjamin Mendy – Suspended by the club until further notice.

-       Aymeric Laporte – Not selected / rested / protected after returning to action last Sunday following some recent ‘niggles’.

-       Ruben Dias – Still out for an unspecified period of time with a hamstring injury sustained in his last match for Portugal.

Do I agree with Pep’s (predicted) line-up?

Yep.

Result? The Saints are in a bad way but did manage to beat fellow Premier League opposition, Crystal Palace, away in the F.A. Cup last game out.

However, that poor league form shouldn’t be seen as an opportunity to simple swan into this match thinking that it’s ‘job done’ before the ball has even been kicked – these have given us a tough time on a number of occasions in recent seasons; we might also be facing at least one ex-City player - and you know what that can often mean - and we might also see a debut for their vastly experienced, Croatian international winger, Mislav Orsic.

It's very rare that we see a Manchester City-Pep side go into a game with anything other than a focused, winning mentality – we have seen it on the very odd occasion where we’ve looked ‘out of sorts’ and appear shellshocked as the opposition “dare” to outfox us. However, Pep’s increased mantra in recent press conferences has been about his players needing a hard-working attitude and positive mentality - anything less just won’t do, as the Spanish boss scrutinises them on the training ground.

I can’t see anything other than a determination for us to progress tonight – we appear to have our tail up now. I’m having this as a City win.

Last season’s, corresponding pre-match prediction and result:

Prediction: N/A

Result: N/A

Expected weather conditions during the game: Keep the ball on the floor fellas! It’s quite often a breezy affair being near most coastal areas but tonight’s forecast sees wind gusts of 40 to 50MPH throughout the entire game. It’s blowing in (sideways) rain too and, so, I can’t imagine the reasonably mild [for the time of year] temperature of 10C feeling anything like. It’s definitely not a game for the more-timid footballer. Hooded coats fans - even in a roofed stand with that horizontal wet stuff!

Solidarity