Haaland back in starting lineup for City in Saints visit

Erling Haaland is back in the starting lineup for Manchester City's trip to Southampton on Saturday in the Premier League. The Norway striker was an unused substitute in the victory over Wolves last week, but makes his return after sustaining an ankle problem at Bournemouth in March.

City boss Pep Guardiola had anticipated on Friday that Haaland was fit and ready to play at St. Mary's, but refused to disclose whether he would start off the bench or not. "He's ready, he's fit. Whether he starts, we'll decide tomorrow," the Spaniard had told reporters on the eve of the game.

Haaland, City's top scorer this season with 30 goals, will be looking to boost City's hopes of reaching the Champions League. With three games left until the end of the campaign, Manchester City sit fourth and hold a three-point advantage over sixth-placed Nottingham Forest.

Fourth-placed Newcastle are playing fifth-placed Chelsea on Sunday, giving City a chance to pull away from one of their top five rivals. However, Guardiola is not taking anything for granted against bottom-of-the-table Saints, who have collected just 11 points in a dismal campaign.

Southampton's starting XI (5-4-1): Ramsdale (GK); Bree, Harwood-Bellis, Bednarek, Stephens, Welington; Fernandes, Downes, Ugochukwu, Sulemana; Dibling.

Man City's starting XI (4-2-3-1): Ederson (GK); Lewis, Akanji, Dias, Gvardiol, Kovacic, De Bruyne, Bernardo, McAtee, Foden, Haaland.