Manchester City predicted lineup vs Southampton - Premier League
Runaway Premier League leaders Manchester City travel to Southampton on Saturday evening.
For the fourth time in five seasons, Pep Guardiola has led his side to at least a dozen consecutive Premier League victories in pursuit of a tenth league title across the Catalan's trophy-laden managerial career. Porto are the only club in Europe in the midst of a longer domestic winning streak (13 games).
Here's the XI Guardiola may deploy to extend his side's imperious form.
Manchester City predicted lineup vs Southampton - Premier League
1. Goalkeeper & defenders
Kyle Walker will be thanking his lucky VARs this evening! ? pic.twitter.com/ViZGHDjbSj
— 90min (@90min_Football) September 18, 2021
Ederson (GK) - Across a Premier League career spanning 166 matches and three titles, Ederson has kept a clean sheet in exactly half of his top flight appearances for City (83).
Kyle Walker (RB) - The intervention of VAR in the reverse fixture overturned a red card and penalty for Walker back in September.
Ruben Dias (CB) - Following a surprise omission from the starting XI against Chelsea, Guardiola was not forthcoming in his reason for resting Dias, a player who scarcely misses a match, let alone two in a row.
Aymeric Laporte (CB) - Between himself and John Stones, Manchester City's defensive pairing won all nine of the aerial duels they contested against Romelu Lukaku and co in victory over Chelsea last weekend.
Joao Cancelo (LB) - Manchester City's playmaking supremo has accumulated transfer fees worth in excess of £100m across his career, a tally that isn't too far off the valuation that could be put on his performances in the last year..
2. Midfielders
Kevin De Bruyne (CM) - While his goalscoring has stolen the headlines of late, the infamously prolific assist provider has created as many Premier League goals as Watford keeper Ben Foster this season (one).
Rodri (CM) - The lubricant in this high-function, delicately balanced, winning machine has won 21 of the 24 matches he's started across all competitions this season - City have won just three of the eight he's missed (D2 L3), including the home game with Southampton.
Bernardo Silva (CM) - The only outfield player to have featured in all 12 of Manchester City's consecutive Premier League victories has been an integral figure in the club's latest winning glut.
3. Forwards
Raheem Sterling (RW) - A stoppage time winner against the Saints five years ago is what Sterling credits as the trigger for his 'obsession' with goalscoring.
Phil Foden (ST) - City's academy graduate missed the celebrations of his first Premier League title to go fishing with his father. Fortunately there have been (and will surely continue to be) ample opportunities to recreate those festivities.
Jack Grealish (LW) - Despite a debut campaign that may seem a tad underwhelming when compared to his Roy of the Rovers travails as Aston Villa's epicentre, Guardiola is insistent Grealish has adapted to the demands of his new club - and who can argue with the manager himself?