Manchester City
Reuters

Manchester City travel to St Mary's Stadium to take on Southampton as the Citizens look to improve their away form and close the six-point gap between themselves and league leaders Arsenal.

Where to Watch

Kick-off is set for 3pm GMT. Highlights of the game will be available on BBC Match of the Day on BBC One from 10:25pm GMT.

Overview

Southampton have a big task on their hands, having lost their last three league games against Arsenal, Chelsea and Aston Villa and are in desperate need of a win. The Saints have relinquished their claim to be the best defence in the league to the Gunners and have conceded eight goals in their last three games while scoring only three. Mauricio Pochettino's men had started the season brilliantly, winning against the likes of Liverpool at Anfield and drawing against Manchester United at Old Trafford.

However, the wind went out of their sails against Arsenal where they lost 2-0, followed by a 3-1 loss to Chelsea. However, the biggest upset for them this season was their home loss to Aston Villa midweek, when in spite of dominating possession, they let in three goals. A win here will resurrect them as proper contenders for the fourth place and give them some much needed confidence ahead of a hectic schedule.

City have been a completely different animal on their travels, losing four games on the road thus far. However, Manuel Pellegrini will be boosted by their 3-2 win over West Brom midweek and will be looking for his team to build on that if they have to keep track of league leaders Arsenal. A win here will dispel fears of their form on the road and restore City as proper title challengers.

What the Managers Say

Mauricio Pochettino: "I believe that every game is a test, not just against Manchester City. This team still believes in how we play, and this is a great chance for us to go and halt this negative run we are on in front of our fans in a great stadium. It's an opportunity for us to change our fortunes right now."

Manuel Pellegrini: "Vincent is OK, but we will see if he can play two matches in four days. He finished the last game without any problems. We will see how he recovers but I don't think it's a great risk to play him again."

Form Guide

Southampton

    • Last Five (all competitions, most recent first): L L L W L
    • Last Result: Southampton 2-3 Aston Villa

Manchester City

    • Last Five (all competitions, most recent first): W W W W L
    • Last Result: West Brom 2-3 Manchester City
Manchester United FC