Taylor Harwood-Bellis would not “wish” the last three games of Southampton because they offer to avoid an unwanted place in the Premier League record books.
With home games against Manchester City and Arsenal-Een if a trip to Everton for the last ever in Goodison Park-Coming Southampton on 11 points.
They will be guaranteed to end the bottom of the Premier League for a record-similar third time, to tie Sunderland and still need one point to prevent Derby County from corresponding to the least that has ever been collected in a season, with the Rams being famous 11 in 2007-08.
Harwood-Bellis will be confronted opposite his former club on Saturday, with the city desperately looking for the points while they want to secure a top five finish and Champions League football.
And despite the fact that the fate of Southampton is sealed long ago, he believes that the Simon Rusk team will continue to give everything.
“It is not a situation that is fun. It is difficult. I don't think someone can say it doesn't hurt us or something,” Harwood-Bellis told The Daily Echo.
“There and in the dressing room it is probably the worst thing I have felt. I can see it on the boys' faces. It is not a nice feeling to have.
“You play in the Premier League and you still have three games left. It is not something that I want to leave or that I want to be with it.
“We are going to play against Man City and Arsenal. These are games that you want to play as a child.”
City registered a crucial 1-0 win over Wolves last week, where Jeremy Doku delivers his Belgian teammate Kevin De Bruyne for the only goal.
After Arsenal, Newcastle United and Nottingham Forest dropped points on MatchDay 35, the men of Pep Guardiola are strong favorites for a top five finish and are only three points of the Gunners in second place.
In the meantime, Doku hopes to add more goal statements between now and the end of the campaign, and to lift the FA Cup for the first time.
“I know I got a help, but I think I can do more,” said the winger, reflective on the wolves winning.
“It is clear that we can no longer win the Premier League, but we want to try to win every game now and see where we end. We have a final in the FA Cup. So, Game by Game, but we will also prepare well for that.”
Players to watch
Southampton – Aaron Ramsdale
Southampton has admitted 82 Premier League goals this season. Only three times have they admitted more in a single competition campaign in their history-85 in 1952-53, 92 in 1966-67 and 83 in 1967-68.
Ramsdale will probably have his work cut at St Mary's.
Manchester City – Jeremy Doku
DOKU has completed more dribbles this season than any other player in the Premier League (102), while he also has the highest dribble -grazing rate of someone to try at least 60 (61.5%).
He could play a key role in a Game City, and his countryman De Bruyne will hope to be the recipient of another assist.
On no side, De Bruyne was directly involved in more Premier League goals than he has against Southampton (14 – four goals, 10 assists).
Match Prediction – Manchester City Win
City has won their last four Premier League matches, their joint-long run of the season.
The Guardiola team wants to win back-to-back competition matches for the first time since August, and they are huge favorites to do this against a historically poor Southampton side.
35 rounds down. Three to go. The race is on. pic.twitter.com/dgpovzlpdH
– Premier League (@premierleague) 6 May 2025
Southampton has lost 28 Premier League matches this season, and another defeat here would be equal to the highest number of losses in a top campaign of 20 teams (next to Sunderland in 2005-06, Derby in 2007-08 and Sheffield United in 2020-21).
City has since been unbeaten in their last 29 Premier League matches against parties that start the daily base of the table (W24 D5) since a 2-1 loss at West Brom in December 2008. The citizens won their last 12 in a row with a total score of 44-1.
And even if Southampton manages to get ahead, they have dropped more points this season of winning positions than any other team in the Premier League (28).
If they do not lead this competition, it is the first time they have lost 30 or more points after they continued in a single campaign in the competition.
Opta wins probability
Southampton – 11%
Manchester City – 73.9%
Drawing – 15.1%