Manchester City take on the visitors Southampton in the round 9 match of English Premier League. The match will be played on Saturday, October 26th at
Manchester City couldn’t replicate the peak success they achieved in 2023. While they won the UEFA Super Cup and the Club World Cup, these trophies weren’t enough to compensate for the Champions League disappointment, where they heartbreakingly lost to arch-rival Real Madrid on penalties, despite having an advantage on the field. The FA Cup also slipped away with a surprise win for Manchester United in the final. City held onto their Premier League title, though Arsenal closed in within a couple of points. Given this, one would expect squad reinforcements, but instead, City focused on trimming costs. They sold several young players, an unused Cancelo, and even World Cup champion Alvarez. Though Savio joined as a partial replacement, he isn’t a forward. Gundogan’s return is a welcome one, helping to cover for Rodri, who sustained a serious injury against Arsenal. But overall, this powerhouse hasn’t started convincingly. Pep nearly lost to Arteta, salvaging a home draw with a last-minute goal despite being down to 10 men. They drew with both Inter and Newcastle, and narrowly beat Wolves thanks to a Stones goal from a last-minute corner. However, they later thrashed Sparta 5-0.
| 2 x £10 Free Bet | Review | |||
| 100$-500$ for No Lose Free Bets | Review | |||
| 100% up to £200 | Review | |||
| Not available | Review |
Southampton continue to disappoint. The "Saints" were a solid mid-table club with a knack for identifying talent and developing young players. Their ambitions were clear, with past Europa League qualifications under Koeman. It seemed they just needed a financial boost, which new owner Dragan Solak was eager to provide. However, mismanagement led to relegation to the Championship in 2023. Even there, their performance was underwhelming. They returned to the Premier League but only after struggling through the playoffs. The squad was bolstered over the summer, bringing in solid if not star players like Sugawara, Brereton, Archer, Ugochukwu, Mateus Fernandes, and deadline-day signings Fraser, Ramsdale, and Cornet, along with Lallana’s homecoming. However, their success has largely been limited to the EFL Cup, where they scraped past Everton in a penalty shootout. In the Premier League, it’s been a string of losses, save for a home draw against Ipswich, another promoted club. Against Leicester, they led by two goals but ultimately lost to the underdog.
City have won three of the last four encounters. However, at the start of last year, Southampton shocked everyone with a 2-0 League Cup win at home. The Citizens are much stronger. Backing them here with a "-2.5 goals" handicap.
Prediction for the match: Manchester City to win with -2.5 handicap.
