It is all down to one game, can Saints defy all the odds and leapfrog a place or two and ensure that they will play in the Europa league next season.

Two years and nine months ago Saints opened their return to the top flight season with a trip to the Etihad, who would have guessed what would happen in the time that has elapsed since.

back then Saints were seen as lambs to the slaughter against a City team who were the reigning Premier League Champions, but Saints put in a decent display and were unlucky to lose by the odd goal.

Now we have to go back and not only try to emulate that gutsy display but better it and even then we won't be guaranteed anything other than 7th even if we win.

But we are far better set up to win than we were on that August day in 2012 and that must give us hope that we can get a result and that at least one result elsewhere will go our way.

In simple terms i would not want to see much change from the side that started the game against Aston Villa, Kelvin Davis may be one change for his 300th appearance but apart from that I would be happy with an unchanged side.

City showed against Swansea last week that they are not invincible, going forward they are a delight to watch, but at the back they are woeful, the Swans gifted them a couple of goals, but equally City's defence were just as charitable.

So the task is probably to outscore City on their own ground, I think we do have the firepower to do it and going into the game with the joint tightest defence we just need a slice of luck and we may keep them out.

But whatever happens I am proud of Ronald Koeman and I am proud of the team, we are light years ahead of where we were this time last year and we are far stronger, football clubs are built on strong foundations, the important thing is to keep moving forward each and every season, of course the result at the Etihad matters, I truly hope that we are in the Europa league come Sunday evening, but if we arent then we go again in supporting Arsenal the following Saturday in the Cup Final.

Be proud of this team, the manager and those now in charge of running our club, they have restored the Spirit Of Southampton.

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