Southampton may not yet be the same animal under manager Claude Puel as they were under his predecessor, Ronald Koeman, but the Saints’ early progress this season has been about as good as can be expected.
OptaJoe noted that, in particular, defence has been at a premium at St. Mary’s so far this season, having seen a terrific defensive record come to an end in Saturday’s 3-1 win over Burnley:
Charlie Austin was the hero on that day, thanks to his two goals, and the Englishman now has six in his last six games as he prepares to make the daunting trip to Manchester City.
While a clean sheet escaped them, Southampton did demonstrate a huge amount of attacking desire against Burnley, although Puel is keen to see more accuracy in front of goal, per the Daily Mail’s Sam Cunningham:
Thankfully for the Saints, City have a Wednesday night meeting against Barcelona in the UEFA Champions League, a fixture that could distract the Citizens enough to affect their focus next Sunday.
Combined with the Saints’ defensive scrutiny and the fact that City manager Pep Guardiola has drawn and lost in his last two Premier League outings, Southampton have the potential to extend that winless streak at the Etihad.
Prediction: Manchester City 1-1 Southampton
Saints Keep Marching at Manchester City
