Defending Premier League champions Manchester City will have to break down Europe's second best home defence if they are to get the better of Saints this weekend.

Ronald Koeman's high-flying side have built much of their current success on an impressive foundation at the back.

Fraser Forster has only conceded one goal in six Premier League outings at St Mary's, to help Saints to second place in the table ahead of their clash with City on Sunday, which marks the start of a remarkable hat-trick fixtures that also includes games away to Arsenal and at home to Manchester United.

The Saints keeper has kept clean sheets at St Mary's against West Bromwich Albion, Newcastle, Sunderland, Stoke and Leicester, and conceded just once, to QPR's Charlie Austin.

The only club in any major European league with a better record are Serie A high-fliers Roma, who boast a defence including former England full back Ashley Cole, and who have yet to concede in six home games.

Veteran keeper Morgan De Sanctis, 37, has kept five of the clean sheets, with Lukasz Skorupski keeping one.

Roma's impregnable defence in Serie A games has not extended into the Champions League - they were remarkably thrashed 7-1 at the Olympic Stadium by Bayern Munich last month. De Sanctis was in between the sticks during that game, while Cole was hauled off at half-time with Bayern leading 5-0.

Saints have the joint-third best defensive record in any major European division, taking into account Germany, Spain, Italy and France, as well as the Premier League, with just six goals conceded in 12 games, after they let in a disappointing opener in the 1-1 draw with Aston Villa on Monday night.

Bayern, who have shipped only three goals in 12 games, possess the best record.

Serie A leades Juventus are the only other side to boast a marginally better record than Ronald Koeman's Saints, having conceded four in 12.

Koeman's former club, Barcelona, have also conceded only six goals in 12.

Best defensive records in Europe's top five leagues

Team Gm GC CS Av B Munich 12 3 9 0.25 Juventus 12 4 9 0.33 Saints 12 6 7 0.50 Barcelona 12 6 8 0.50 Roma 12 7 8 0.58

 

Best home defensive records in Europe's top five leagues

Team Gm GC CS Av Roma 6 0 6 0.00 Saints 6 1 5 0.17 B Munich 7 2 5 0.28 Barcelona 6 2 4 0.33 Malaga 6 2 4 0.33 PSG 6 2 4 0.33

 

Key: GC = goals conceded. CS = clean sheets. Av = average goals conceded per game.