Squad sheets: Manchester City v Southampton

Southampton can take immense pride in the consecutive promotions with which Nigel Adkins has restored the club to the top flight, but this game might be seen as a trial for a club that has come so far so soon. It would be a surprise if Manchester City did not revel in the occasion at the Etihad Stadium on Sunday. The manager, Roberto Mancini, seemed frustrated this summer by a halt to the large-scale recruitment policy of the past, but a settled squad may be formidable as players improve their rapport with one another. Kevin McCarra Venue Etihad Stadium, Sunday 4pm Tickets Sold out Last season n/a Referee Howard Webb Last season's matches 29 Y 90, R 3, 3.21 cards per game Odds Man City 1-5 Southampton 16-1 Draw 13-2 Manchester City Subs from Nielsen, Pantilimon, Rodwell, Milner, Kolarov, Savic, K Touré, Razak, A Johnson, M Johnson, Adebayor, Boyata, Guidetti, Santa Cruz, Balotelli, Nimely Doubtful Balotelli (conjuvtivitis), Hart (back), Rodwell (hamstring) Injured Barry (groin, 1 Sep), Richards (ankle, 15 Sep) Suspended None Disciplinary record (last season) Y55 R5 Leading scorer (last season) Agüero 23 Southampton Subs from Gazzaniga, Richardson, Guly, Barnard, Sharp, Butterfield, Hammond, Chaplow, Lee, Dickson, Reeves, Seaborne, Ward-Prowse, De Ridder, Shaw Doubtful None Injured Cork (ankle, 25 Aug) Suspended None Disciplinary record (last season) Y52 R4 Leading scorer (last seson) Lambert 27 Match pointers • City have gone 29 home league games without defeat, winning 27 times in that run • In the last three seasons, only one newly promoted side has managed to win their opening Premier League match (Blackpool v Wigan in 2010) and just two have scored • Southampton have won three of their last four Premier League games at City • City made more passes (20,860) than any other side in the division last season • Over the past four seasons, Rickie Lambert has played 207 games in all competitions, scoring 118 goals • The last player to score more goals in his debut season than Segio Agüero's 24 in 2011-12 was Fernando Torres with 24 in 2007-08