Expectancy is so high at the Etihad these days

Les Chapman.

SOUTHAMPTON played really well at the Etihad Stadium on Sunday and probably deserved a draw against Manchester City.

They had the three men up front and made it difficult for City, but Pep Guardiola's men did improve in the second half.

Some of the national press have described this recent run without a win as a 'crisis', but that's ridiculous.

City are still top of the Premier League table, but some people seem to be forgetting that.

The expectations are so, so great at City now.

People are expecting them to beat opposition teams four and five-nil every game, particularly at home.

They'll bounce back.

The game against Southampton probably was the worst performance of the season so far, but when you've got a squad filled with top quality like City have, then you know they are still capable of beating anyone they come up against.

City certainly should have beaten Everton quite comfortably, then the Barcelona defeat came about due to a couple of silly mistakes.

Attention turns to the EFL Cup tomorrow and the big derby game at Old Trafford.

I do expect to see a few changes in the City line-up, but never forget this is still a derby game and therefore there will always be lots at stake.

There will be a huge crowd inside Old Trafford and bragging rights up for grabs.

A win tomorrow also means progresses into the quarter-finals of that competition, so then you're only three games away from another day out at Wembley.

It's a big game and it's going to be taken very seriously by both sides.

The battle for Premier League points then resumes at West Brom on Saturday.

That's never an easy task, but I fully expect City to get a positive result at the Hawthorns.