- City were in good form and headed to Southampton as heavy favourites for win
- Southampton moved to 12 points, one more than the 11 Derby achieved in 2008
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Pep Guardiola tipped a bottle of water over his head. Even though the attire, all black, can’t have helped in the heat, it really wasn’t hot enough for such drastic measures.
The cold shower can only have been to keep him alert. To wake him up. Manchester City were just not there, drowsy on the south coast, not the team that had started to crank performances up as their manager found new ways to attack teams at the end of a year that he’s admitted has been the most challenging of his career.
Champions League qualification could have been all but done in Southampton. They could’ve gone level with Arsenal in second, as unfathomable as that may sound, but laboured like mid-winter. City had done the hard bit in muscling into third but have let the others behind back in.
And this goalless draw means they have only managed to stick one past the division’s bottom side, marooned all alone having conceded 82 times and only just better than that Derby County team. St Mary’s erupted at the end, a ray of light for them and for caretaker Simon Rusk. Guardiola stormed towards the centre circle, a sarcastic verbal exchange with Rusk’s coach Adam Lallana, to point at frustration.
Rusk discussed the necessity of preserving Southampton’s dignity in these final arduous weeks of a stinking campaign and planned to nudge them clear of Derby’s 11-point record etched in infamy in singles.
Manchester City were held to a 0-0 draw with Southampton on a disappointing Saturday on the south coast
The result meant Saint surpassed Derby County’s worst points record of 11 for the division
The likes of Kevin De Bruyne (pictured) and Erling Haaland – who returned to the starting XI – failed to break down the defence of the division’s basement side
One at West Ham and, surprisingly, one here. City were limp, lethargic. Rusk didn’t instruct his players to bother themselves with entering the opposition’s half and obviously felt comfortable enough with camping right on top of Aaron Ramsdale’s plot.
Watching winger Tyler Dibling instinctively hoofing one loose ball straight out for a throw with zero viable options in front of him within five minutes did much to set the stall.
‘They didn’t even try anything,’ Ruben Dias complained. ‘They just sat and didn’t even want to win the game. It’s not good for the show. It’s not good for themselves. It’s not good for anyone.’
Guardiola disagreed. ‘They can do what they like,’ he said. ‘It’s on us to break them. I don’t agree with Ruben.’
Southampton rarely threatened – Dias throwing himself in front of a Mateus Fernandes shot as exciting as it became at Ederson’s end – but then City didn’t either.
The onus was on Guardiola’s side, who had appeared something resembling resurgent in taking charge of this top five tussle, able to call on their top scorer Erling Haaland for the first time in over a month. Haaland, who has criticised a lack of ‘hunger’ inside the dressing room, appeared rusty.
‘We spoke about unity,’ Rusk said. ‘You find out about yourselves when you’re not having a great time. We did want to frustrate them. Ruben’s comments are a bit of a backhanded compliment. It’s about being adaptable to different situations. If we went toe-to-toe with City, we lose. We did it our way and that’s OK.’
City tested that resolve late on, Ramsdale tipping a Dias header over, Nico O’Reilly adding impetus and Haaland not quite gathering a misguided Jeremy Doku square. Jan Bednarek flung a head in front of Kevin De Bruyne’s effort.
Pep Guardiola shared a sarcastic verbal exchange with Rusk’s coach Adam Lallana (left), to point at frustration
Omar Marmoush rattled Ramsdale’s bar on the turn, begging the question why he wasn’t utilised from the bench earlier than the 84th minute. City though, who ended up with Bernardo Silva at right back, have made this a far tenser final fortnight of the season than it need to be.
They are not quite relying on results elsewhere but it is looking like two victories against Bournemouth and Fulham – after the FA Cup final – are going to be required if they manage to secure a spot at the top table again.
