Southampton travel to the Etihad Stadium for the second time in five days on Saturday, having spent Tuesday evening playing out a 3-1 defeat to the Citizens in Manchester in the Carabao Cup.
Ralph Hasenhuttl’s side will be playing their first Premier League game since the humiliating 9-0 loss to Leicester last Friday, where they were torn apart in front of their own supporters at St Mary’s.
Facing Pep Guardiola’s back-to-back champions is probably not the ideal game for the Saints as they look to get back on track, although there may be some interesting lineup choices as Hasenhuttl revealed that he knows who he can trust following the 9-0 defeat.
We also outlined that the Austrian needs to stick with one formation, and must also stop being so loyal to underperforming players, so here’s the XI we think Hasenhuttl should deploy…
On Tuesday, Hasenhuttl opted for a 5-3-2 – the Austrian has used six different systems already, so he must settle his players down into one formation and allow them to familiarise themselves with something consistent.
Angus Gunn has started every Premier League game so far this season, conceding 25 goals in ten appearances – more than any other glovesman in the top-flight.
He should be dropped for Alex McCarthy, who is an experienced stopper of international pedigree.
At left-back, Pierre-Emile Højbjerg started in the position on Tuesday, although he must return to his natural midfield position.
Ryan Bertrand will serve the second game of his three-match suspension, so in that case, now is the time for the former RB Leipzig boss to be bold and place his trust in 19-year-old left-back Jake Vokins – the teenager netted against Preston in pre-season when handed a first-team chance, and it would be his Premier League debut if he played on Saturday.
Furthermore, Jack Stephens – who has made just two league appearances this term – scored against City on Tuesday and deserves to keep his place in the team, with Maya Yoshida and Jannik Vestergaard previously contributing to what is the worst defence in the Premier League this term.
Ahead of the backline, the team looks fairly familiar. What is key, however, is Hasenhuttl getting his players into some sort of rhythm in terms of the system and personnel, after what has been a pretty disturbed campaign so far.
