Manchester City host Southampton in the Premier League this weekend, and fans are expecting plenty of goals.
Manchester City have just recorded a thumping 5-0 win over Sparta Prague in the Champions League, and Pep Guardiola will hope to keep the momentum going against the Saints at the Etihad Stadium.
Southampton sit 19th in the table so far after eight games and have yet to win.
They have shipped 18 goals and scored just six.
They have found the going tough so far in the Premier League and last weekend, they gave up a two-goal lead against Leicester City to lose 3-2, which will have been damaging psychologically.
Some are anticipating Erling Haaland to have a field day against Southampton at home. But pundit Chris Sutton does not see it that way.
Chris Sutton thinks Erling Haaland will not score against Southampton
Haaland made headlines on Wednesday with his brace against Sparta, with his first goal a stunning acrobatic effort. Several pundits were left amazed by Haaland’s goal, and there may not be too many better in the competition this season.
That ended a mini-drought for the Norwegian, but he hasn’t scored in any of the last three league games for City.
And Sutton actually thinks Haaland will fail to score again this weekend. Predicting a 4-0 win for City, he told BBC Sport: “In the Fantasy Premier League community, everyone is talking about triple captaining Erling Haaland, because he has not scored in his past three league games.
“I’m saying Haaland will not score again, but City will score four and keep a clean sheet for the first time in the Premier League since their opening game of the season. They have to stop conceding eventually, surely.”
Erling Haaland’s record against Southampton
To predict that Haaland will not score against any team is certainly bold, because everyone knows just what a force he is in front of goal.
As we all saw on Wednesday, Haaland can convert even when it looks like there is no possible way to score. And he was barely involved in the game against Sparta and still bagged two.
Haaland really is an incredible player, and Sutton has definitely stuck his neck out here saying that he won’t score. Especially with Southampton having the second-worst defensive record in the division.
| Erling Haaland record vs Southampton |
| Games played – 3 |
| Wins – 2 |
| Draws – 0 |
| Losses – 1 |
| Goals scored – 3 |
| Assists – 1 |
Haaland has actually only faced Southampton three times before. Those appearances all came in 2022/23, with City facing the Saints twice in the Premier League and once in the Carabao Cup.
Haaland scored once for City in the 4-0 home win that season, and then twice in the reverse fixture at St. Mary’s Stadium. Fans will remember one of his goals was a stunning bicycle kick set up by Jack Grealish.
He did not score in the 2-0 Carabao Cup defeat at St. Mary’s, coming off the bench that night to play for just over half an hour.
