An unexpectedly narrow victory for Manchester City over Southampton is the focus of our latest Gameweek 9 Scout Notes.
TRIPLE CAPTAINERS UNLUCKY
“Should have saved it for a Double Gameweek” will be the hindsight take on the decision of 300k+ managers to use the Triple Captain chip on Erling Haaland (£15.4m).
But the 17-point hauls of Gameweeks 2 and 3 could easily have been matched against Southampton. Eight shots was his highest weekly tally of 2024/25. So were four big chances and 2.33 expected goals (xG):
Above: Erling Haaland’s weekly xG breakdown this season
In fact, only once before in his Man City career has Haaland surpassed Saturday’s 2.33 xG. That came in Gameweek 5 of 2023/24 against West Ham United (2.56).
Quite simply, if you chanced your arm on the big Norwegian with the Triple Captain chip this week, you got unlucky.
A double headed chance from a corner and a stoppage-time one-on-one were bad enough. But the two spurned, point-blank, open-goal opportunities below really took the biscuit:
It almost felt like a blank – but it wasn’t, thanks to his early opener. The goal was one of his hardest chances, too, requiring some mid-air adjustment to convert Matheus Nunes’ (£4.9m) cross while being manhandled.
There have been worse Triple Captain outcomes (Sadio Mane in 2019/20, for instance) but this one was definitely one of the more underwhelming.
SAVINHO “EXCEPTIONAL”
Someone who did blank for real was Phil Foden (£9.3m).
Again used through the middle despite City’s current shortage of wingers (a sign of where Pep Guardiola increasingly views his future perhaps), he whistled the best of his three chances narrowly wide.
He’s maybe still lacking that spark of last season but Haaland should have rewarded him with at least one assist. His set-piece deliveries were on point, too.
“Savinho was magnificent today with assists, with a lot of balls.” – Pep Guardiola
Savinho (£6.5m) – who matched Foden with five chances created – was even more hard done by. The two gilt-edged opportunities pictured above were supplied by the Brazilian, who was City’s brightest attacker.
Josko Gvardiol (£6.1m) was a class act again, his three chances created partly to thank for his provisional maximum bonus.
Rico Lewis (£4.7m) was once more inverting from right-back, taking up the usual advanced central midfield positions.
Those sojourns into opposition territory strangely haven’t translated into attacking contributions. There were no shots or chances created on Saturday. There have been just four of each all season.
But, for instance, when you look where he was for Haaland’s goal (number 82 below), you have to think a ball is going to fall to him in the box eventually.
INJURY LATEST, ROTATION IN MIDWEEK?
City’s squad was stretched with six players out. Just five outfield substitutes were named, two of whom hadn’t started a league game for the reigning champions before.
Pep Guardiola said after full-time that he “doesn’t think” anyone will be back for Wednesday’s cup clash with Tottenham Hotspur. Given that a trip to Bournemouth follows less than 72 hours after that match, Guardiola may turn to youth in midweek.
“We’ll see if we play with academy players, we’ll see how they come back from fresh from [today’s game].” – Pep Guardiola
That would be a welcome boost for owners of Haaland, Foden et al, with fatigue a growing concern at this time of year.
BRAVE SAINTS, DIBLING “KNACKERED”
Guardiola was full of praise for Southampton after full-time, praising their bold possession-based approach.
The Saints’ own head coach echoed the positivity.
“It wasn’t just defensive, I thought we were brilliant with the ball.” – Russell Martin
As well as holding firm at the rear (and riding their luck with Haaland’s profligacy), the visitors even posed the occasional threat themselves. Cameron Archer (£5.0m) raced through to hit the bar in the best of the chances.
Tyler Dibling (£4.6m) was hooked at the interval but Martin explained that it was a tactical decision, not injury-related.
“Tyler was tactical, he looked knackered. So, we spoke about this on Thursday: he’s an 18-year-old lad, the level of intensity has gone through the roof for him compared to what he’s used to, he’s playing against the best team in the country, in Europe, and it just wasn’t quite his day.” – Russell Martin on Tyler Dibling
Something to consider for owners of Dibling who may need him to come off the bench over Christmas – he himself could have his minutes managed in busier periods, given that his stamina is not yet at the levels of his more senior teammates.
