Southampton v Man City
Southampton Vs Man City on Sunday 10th February 2013 at St Mary’s Stadium.
Last Win/Defeat Last Win/Defeat
Won 0-1 v Aston Villa (A) 12/1/13 Won 2-0 v Fulham (H) 19/1/13
Lost 2-1 v Man United (A) 30/1/13 Lost 1-0 v Sunderland (A) 26/12/12
Last Corresponding Game
Saturday 2nd October 2004 at St Mary’s Stadium
Southampton 0 – 0 Man City
Southampton: Manager, Mauricio Pochettino
The main issue for Southampton appears to be converting positive and impressive performances into points. That the quality is there for Southampton is without question. One has only to look at their first half display against Everton however such great play is not being converted into points. It is up to the newly appointed Mauricio Pochettino to put into play an action plan to bring this about. Maybe a closer examination of the Saints’ game against Man United would be the place to start as that game was winnable for Southampton – even Sir Alex Ferguson was of that opinion and as opinions go his must surely be taken into account.
Man City: Manager, Roberto Mancini
No sooner does on transfer window shut before all the talk and planning heads towards the next transfer opportunity.
Mancini is said to be frustrated regarding the lack of meaningful acquisitions during the January transfer window. Major changes are happening or appear about to happen and commenced with the departure of Mario Balotelli to AC Milan.
Man City currently sit at second place on the English Premier League table and the over-riding question for all at Man City is if indeed they can catch Man United. Man City have to make up a nine point deficit with thirteen games remaining for this season.
Do the above statistics mean that Man City will need to win all of those thirteen games, and how man does Man United need to lose?
The Man City team will be enhanced by the return of YaYa Tour owing to his team’s exit from the African Cup of Nation. City now have three senior frontline strikers in Sergio Aguero, Carlos Tevez and Edin Dzeko. Given that Balotelli scored only three goals this season in reality he is not much of a loss – rather a disappointment. Man City continue to be able to rely on the consistent Gareth Barry.
Man City really need to win over Southampton given their 3/2/13 2 – 2 result in the Liverpool game and the 29/1/13 QPR 0 – 0 result. Clearly not good enough.
Mancini only wants to look forward and prepare his team for this pivotal month’s race to the top – quite a challenge.
