Phillips can start but can he finish?
Kalvin Phillips is set to get his first start for Manchester City but he also has to show he can finish.
Pep Guardiola wants the former Leeds man to show he can compete with Rodri, and part of that challenge requires giving City's main defensive midfielder some nights off. Rodri is the only player in the squad to have played more than 2,000 minutes this season, while Phillips hasn't even completed a half for the Blues in that time and has played fewer minutes than all but Scott Carson.
Part of that is down to the shoulder injury and operation that Phillips had in time for the World Cup, yet as well as adapting to the rhythm of the team the England midfielder will also be hoping to last 90 minutes for the first time since last June.
Also read: Guardiola hints at 'ridiculous' Man City ideas for Man United match
Hardcore trip
Huge respect to the Blues that make it down to Southampton.
It's a long trip that will cost most hundreds of pounds and quite possibly multiple days off work. It's also the start of a long few months of travelling with plenty of trips to London and beyond as well as European trips coming back in with the Champions League returning.
The cost of living is only going up so fair play to those who are still spending their income to watch City far and wide. At the very least, if City make the semis there shouldn't be as much travelling involved!
Southampton watch
City sold four prospects to Southampton last summer following the move of their head of academy scouting to become director of football at St Mary's.
The Blues included buyback clauses on players so that they can bring them back if, in the words of Guardiola, they 'explode' with regular first team football. And a decision may be needed sooner rather than later on Romeo Lavia, who Chelsea tried to nick in the very window City sold him.
City will be able to get a closer look to monitor how their former players are developing.
De Bruyne and Haaland fitness
Kevin De Bruyne and Erling Haaland were among the unused substitutes on the bench on Sunday and will surely be up for coming back into the team.
But Guardiola has to think about the United match on Saturday lunchtime, an extremely tight turnaround, and those two more than most have had concerns over keeping them 100 per cent fit. That could open the door on another start for Julian Alvarez, who did not at all look leggy at the weekend on his first start since the World Cup final.
READ NEXT
