Southampton vs. Manchester City: Date, Time, Live Stream, TV Info and Preview
Southampton are at risk of tumbling out of the top two when they play host to Manchester City on Sunday, with Manuel Pellegrini's side hoping to end a bout of inconsistency at St. Mary's.
The Citizens have only won two of their last four Premier League fixtures, but enter this weekend's clash on a high after handing European giants Bayern Munich a 3-2 defeat in midweek.
Ronald Koeman's men have been a delight to watch this term, but their dream of upsetting the Premier League aristocracy could be dealt a serious blow when the reigning champions make their way to the south coast.
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Read on for full viewing details of Sunday's headline fixture, along with match preview and discussion of which key battle could decide the tie.
Date: Sunday, Nov. 30
Time: 1:30 p.m. GMT/8:30 a.m. ET
Live Stream: Sky Go (UK, subscription required), NBC Sports Live Extra (US)
TV Info: Sky Sports 1 (UK), NBC Sports Network (US)
Southampton Undergo Top-Four Initiation
The Saints' summer exodus had always brought fears that Southampton would plummet through the English ranks without their top stars, but under Koeman's command, the club has found a new lease of life this season.
The Dutch tactician has utilised all his Eredivisie knowledge in forming a new crux of top assets at St. Mary's, leading his side into Sunday's matchup with a two-point advantage over City.
However, Koeman has been slightly fortunate in his early-season schedule so far this term, encountering only four teams currently part of the top half—Newcastle, West Ham, Swansea City and Tottenham.
The manager will therefore undergo his biggest test thus far as a Premier League manager on Sunday. Speaking after Monday's 1-1 draw with Aston Villa, he remains confident his side are capable of a top-four finish, per the official Premier League website:
"If we keep going and keep our spirit like we showed - we had great character and we showed great patience in the second half - then it's possible because I don't see many teams better than Southampton.
It's a nice week to play and we live game to game with three big teams. In this game Aston Villa had some key players injured, maybe [that made them] are more dangerous and it was difficult. We didn't reach the level we can reach and we must reach that to be competitive against City on Sunday.
"
Koeman can only hope that City feel some hangover from Tuesday's beating of Bayern Munich, and he has every right to be buoyant considering Southampton have dropped only two points at home this term.
That being said, the team's record as the Premier League's finest defence comes under major fire with the likes of Sergio Aguero coming to town. A defeat means falling to third in the table, but will also serve as a reminder that Southampton may not be ready to compete with the English hierarchy just yet.
Key Battle
Morgan Schneiderlin vs. Yaya Toure
Southampton managed to beat away the interest that emerged around Morgan Schneiderlin this summer and retain their Frenchman's talent, and the midfielder has been excellent this season.
Yaya Toure, on the other hand, is struggling to live up to the heights of his last campaign, and Manchester United icon Paul Scholes told ITV (h/t Daily Mail) that dropping the former talisman against Bayern helped City's cause:
Even without last season's form, however, the Ivorian remains a potential game-changer for Sunday's visitors, a powerful component who when playing at his peak, can alter any game in City's favour.
Southampton's Kenyan anchor Victor Wanyama has spoken of his hope to clash against his fellow African, quoted by the Mirror's Alex Crook saying:
"It's a game I'm looking forward to because Yaya Toure will be playing and he's someone I look up to. He was one of my role models so it'll be a nice thing coming face to face with him. It is one of the biggest tests we could have.
"
Schneiderlin will be just as aware of the threat Toure brings, and Koeman's engine-room hero comes into the match after a standout performance against Villa, per Squawka:
One particular positive for the Southampton man this term has been his increase in offensive output. Whereas once he may have been seen as a more strictly defined defensive midfielder, he now sits as the club's joint-second-top scorer in the league with three goals.
While that may be the case, limiting City's options in midfield will be Schneiderlin's first priority, and in that pursuit, winning any personal head-to-head with Toure will rank among his biggest concerns.
