Southampton vs Manchester City; Premier League
Southampton vs Manchester City. Premier League.
St. Mary's StadiumAttendance31,882.
Southampton v Man City preview: Premier League champions aiming for 100-point mark live on Sky Sports
Sunday 13 May 2018 13:22, UK
Manchester City will look to sign off their Premier League-winning campaign by hitting the 100-point mark when they travel to Southampton live on Sky Sports.
Pep Guardiola's side broke the record for the most points won by the Premier League champions when they beat Brighton 3-1 on Wednesday evening, moving onto 97 points and surpassing Chelsea's 95 point haul from the 2004/05 season.
A win against the Saints would see them hit the century, and become the first side to do so in England's top flight and City's tumbling records have helped the team to keep focus, according to Guardiola.
He said: "We will try to win the game. That is not in doubt. We have done that all season. In the last few weeks these numbers have helped us keep focus.
"There are many [special moments this season]. The 18 games won in a row is the reason we have won the league. That was the key point of the season."
It is a contrasting story for Southampton, who are still mathematically in danger of relegation, although they are three points ahead of Swansea in 18th place.
They also have a nine-goal advantage on goal difference, and would need a 10-goal swing, a loss to City plus a Swansea win against already-relegated Stoke to see them drop into the Championship.
Team news
Top scorer Sergio Aguero is Manchester City's only major absentee. The Argentina striker, who has scored 30 goals this term, has missed the last month of the campaign with a knee injury.
Guardiola may make some changes having handed rare starts to Claudio Bravo, Yaya Toure and Danilo in Wednesday's clash against Brighton.
Mario Lemina faces a late fitness test ahead for Southampton. The former Juventus midfielder is battling a hamstring complaint, and is yet to train this week.
Jan Bednarek will miss out due to a head injury as Southampton look to confirm their top-flight status.
Opta stats
Saints have won just one of their last nine Premier League meetings with Man City (D2 L6), winning 4-2 at home in May 2016 thanks largely to a Sadio Mane hat-trick.
Man City have won two of their last three visits to St Mary's in the Premier League (L1), with both victories being by a scoreline of 3-0.
The Saints have collected eight points in their last four Premier League games (W2 D2), as many as they picked in the previous 12 combined (W1 D5 L6).
City could also become the first team to record 32 wins in an English top-flight campaign, with their current tally of 31 a joint-record alongside Spurs in 1960-61.
Indeed, victory for City would also see them create a new record for most away wins (16) and points (50) in a Premier League season.
Before becoming Manchester City manager in 2008, Mark Hughes was unbeaten against them in the Premier League (W4 D4 L0). Since leaving, he's won only two of his 13 league meetings against the Citizens (D3 L8).
Merson's predictions
I just can't see anything other than a Man City win. But Southampton will be alright; that 10-goal swing won't happen.
PAUL PREDICTS: 1-3