The Etihad is shocked.

Even Ralph Hassenhuttl looks shocked.

Saints skipper Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg is pinged for a high boot on Ilkay Gundogan and it's a free-kick for City out on the right.

Sergio Aguero rises highest to meet it, again, but his header is off target, again.

Nonetheless, dangerous signs for the Saints.

It's pretty quiet inside the Etihad at the moment.

Hard to get up for Southampton at home I s'pose.

Chris Bevan
BBC Sport at Etihad Stadium

It's fair to say Southampton were completely outclassed when they came here in the Carabao Cup in midweek.

Such was the home team's dominance that the travelling Saints fans were (ironically) singing 'we've touched the ball' when they belatedly enjoyed a spell of possession in the first half and 'we've had a shot' when they finally had an effort on goal (in the 65th minute).

It has been a difficult few days for supporters of the south coast side, but at least they have retained their sense of humour... will they have anything to cheer for real this time though?

Little period of possession for the away team there.

They're move the ball around City's half nicely but it comes to nothing.

Ilkay Gundogan did score a peach against Aston Villa last weekend so you can't blame him for trying his luck there.

City come down the right this time as Kyle Walker is played in by Bernardo Silva.

After the Saints clear the first cross, the hosts recycle possession and it eventually falls to Ilkay Gundogan, who blasts over.

And here they come again.

Angelino plays a neat one-two with David Silva and fizzes in a low cross which is cleared by Oriol Romeu.

Danny Ings and Nathan Redmond combine to clear away Kevin De Bruyne's resultant corner.

City's first chance of the game comes inside the first two minutes and it falls to Sergio Aguero.

The Argentine heads wide after leaping to meet Angelino's cross from the left.

Off we go at a dreary Etihad.

Pep Guardiola's men comfortably beat the Saints 3-1 in the Carabao Cup on Wednesday, and I'd wager they're pretty strong favourites to win today as well...

A minute's silence in remembrance of all those who have lost their lives in conflict is impeccably observed.

And now we're nearly ready to go.

Danthem: Seeing as City put eight past Watford and Southampton shipped nine to Leicester can we expect a 0-0 today?

Nah.

'Hey Jude' rings around the Etihad as the players walk out on to the pitch.

They're being treated to some classic Manchester weather today - grey and drizzly.

Guy Mowbray
Match of the Day commentator

There was Southampton improvement when these two met on Tuesday; of course, there had to be.

Discipline returned, with an obvious focus on sitting deep and keeping City out as best they could.

All things considered, a 3-1 defeat in the Carabao Cup was 'OK'.

More of the same and then some more is now required from Saints players, with the heat undoubtedly on boss Ralph Hasenhuttl if they take another tonking.

Ominously, that's what happened in this fixture on this very weekend last season, with City winning 6-1.

It was a victory that cut the gap to leaders Liverpool to seven points - with 18 games still to play. That might be ominous too.

Chris Bevan
BBC Sport at Etihad Stadium

Four days after they lost 3-1 here in the Carabao Cup, Southampton return to a dank Etihad Stadium, hoping for a better result in the rain than they managed when Leicester blew them away at a soggy St Mary's in their last league game.

The bad news for Saints is that with the likes of Raheem Sterling and Kevin de Bruyne back in a blue shirt after being rested in midweek, this Manchester City team looks significantly stronger than it did last time out.

City are on a bit of a roll on home turf too - this is their fourth successive game at the Etihad in the space of 12 days and they have won all of the previous three, scoring 11 goals and conceding two.

Ralph Hasenhuttl needs a big improvement. Pep Guardiola is probably hoping for more of the same.

Image source, BBC Sport

Sergio Aguero is back in City's Premier League starting XI today after Gabriel Jesus was given the nod for their last two outings.

The Argentine bagged twice against the Saints in midweek and he'll be hoping to add to his Premier League tally today.

Image source, BBC Sport

Mark Lawrenson
BBC football expert

Pep Guardiola will pick a stronger team this time, and I think Manchester City will win by a bigger margin than their 3-1 victory in the Carabao Cup in midweek.

Prediction: 4-0

Read the rest of Lawro's predictions here

So this is Southampton's first league game since their harrowing 9-0 defeat at the hands of Leicester.

How do you think they'll get on against the champions today?

Send your predictions and any other thoughts on the game to #bbcfootball!

Live text coverage of Manchester City v Southampton in the Premier League will start at 14:50 GMT...

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