- Man City played Southampton in FA Cup
- Saints previously knocked out big names
- Opta Supercomputer not expecting upset
Manchester City will be strong favourites to defeat Southampton in the FA Cup semi-final round, and the Opta Supercomputer agrees with this train of thought.
After three consecutive wins in the Premier League, Manchester City’s attention now turns to the FA Cup, where Southampton await at Wembley.
The Saints have had an extraordinary campaign, managing to win each of their ties by a narrow one-goal margin.
Southampton saw off Fulham in the fifth round and most recently they defeated Arsenal in a match which showed why pundits often discuss the magic of the cup.
Still, Man City have been pretty good themselves, thrashing Liverpool 4-0 in the quarter-finals. And now Pep Guardiola will be keen to guide his team to another success.
Opta Supercomputers anticipates a Man City victory
The Opta Supercomputer gave Man City a good chance of defeating Burnley on Wednesday night. Despite a largely disappointing performance, it is once again backing City to a very high degree.
Man City are deemed 75 per cent likely to beat Southampton, while there is a 14 per cent chance the game will conclude in a draw, forcing extra time to commence.
Whereas Southampton’s chances stand at just 10 per cent. In other words, it would be a miracle if they secured the win.
Southampton’s form should not be ignored
The Championship is different from the Premier League, but that does not make results in the division insignificant.
Man City’s next opponent are doing very well at this moment in time, and currently sit in the play-off spots in the league table.
In fact, Southampton are undefeated since January, and their record in the FA Cup this season speaks for itself.
Man City will rest players against Southampton
Another factor which means City’s win is not all that certain is the fact that Guardiola is not going to play a full strength team.
The Citizens already played on Sunday and Wednesday in the Premier League, and there is a real risk of burnout in the squad.
Therefore, Guardiola will look to those who have experienced fewer minutes on the pitch this season, handing Southampton a greater chance of victory.
Of course, City still have excellent squad depth. However, it would be unwise to expect an easy triumph, because Southampton are not going to go down without a fight.
