A last-gasp victory over Wolves last weekend kept Manchester City in second place, just a point behind Liverpool. Arsenal’s loss to Bournemouth means City are now the only unbeaten team in the league, and they'll be confident of extending that record against Southampton. Despite the season-ending injury to key midfielder Rodri, City have continued to find ways to win, securing four victories in their last five matches across all competitions.

Southampton, who travel to the Etihad, have endured a dismal return to the Premier League after earning promotion via the playoffs last season. They’ve managed just one point from eight games, leaving them in a precarious position. Although they’re only three points away from safety, the Saints have let crucial points slip, most recently conceding a 95th-minute equalizer to Ipswich and blowing a 2-0 lead against Leicester last weekend.

The task doesn't get easier as they face the reigning champions. Southampton’s defense has been leaky, conceding 18 goals—the second-most in the league. They’ll face a tough challenge containing City’s attackers, particularly Erling Haaland, who leads the league with 10 goals in eight games. Although Haaland hasn’t scored in his last three Premier League outings, he bagged a brace in City’s most recent European fixture.

If Russell Martin’s Southampton side are to find any joy, they could exploit occasional vulnerabilities in City’s defense, which has fallen behind in half of their league games so far. City haven’t kept a clean sheet since their opening match. However, Southampton’s attack has struggled, with only six goals this season—also the second-fewest in the division. Cameron Archer leads their scoring charts with just two goals.

City have dominated the recent head-to-head meetings between the two, winning five of the last eight encounters. Southampton’s only success came in the League Cup. The last time they met in the Premier League, City comfortably won both fixtures, 4-0 at home and 4-1 away. City have been in fine form, with four wins and one draw in their last five matches. Their recent run started with a 1-1 draw at Newcastle, where Josko Gvardiol’s opener was cancelled out by an Anthony Gordon penalty.

In the Champions League, City cruised to a 4-0 win over Slovan Bratislava, with goals from Ilkay Gundogan, Phil Foden, Haaland, and James McAtee. They then edged Fulham 3-2 in the league, recovering from an early Andreas Pereira strike thanks to a Mateo Kovacic brace and a late Doku goal. After the international break, City secured a dramatic 2-1 win over Wolves, with John Stones snatching a 95th-minute winner. Most recently, they thrashed Sparta Prague 5-0 in Europe, with Haaland scoring twice.

Southampton, on the other hand, have drawn two and lost three of their last five matches. Their rough return to the top flight continues as they remain in search of a first league win. After a 1-1 draw in the EFL Cup against Everton, which they won on penalties, they were denied a win against Ipswich by a 95th-minute equalizer. They then fell to Bournemouth 3-1 and suffered a 3-2 defeat to Arsenal despite taking an early lead. Most recently, they let a 2-0 lead slip against Leicester, losing to a 98th-minute Jordan Ayew goal.

As things stand, it’s hard to see anything other than a commanding Manchester City win. The Saints are winless this season with just one point from a possible 24, while City remain unbeaten after eight games, boasting six wins and two draws. Pep Guardiola’s side are the league’s top scorers with 19 goals, while Southampton have the second-worst defense, having conceded 18. City are unbeaten in their last 14 matches in all competitions, while Southampton have not won in seven games and have failed to keep a clean sheet in their last 10. Both teams have scored in five of City’s and Southampton’s last six games, respectively.

Matchoutlook Prediction : Home Win (4-1)