Manchester City continue their relentless march, sending a clear message to Liverpool and Arsenal that they must keep up. Pep Guardiola's champions secured the top spot with this narrow win, and if either Arsenal or Arne Slot's side triumphs in Sunday's late kick-off, they will deliver a significant blow to the other. With 23 points, City lead Liverpool by two and Arsenal by a substantial six, so Mikel Arteta's team cannot afford a loss. Guardiola's squad appeared slightly off their usual form here. Recently, he has emphasized the importance of patience, and although Erling Haaland could have scored a hat-trick instead of just one goal, injuries limited the manager's options on the bench, with only Ilkay Gündogan as a senior attacking option.
On Wednesday, Haaland showcased his brilliance with a stunning reverse-heeled volley against Sparta Prague. In this match, just five minutes in, he was pulled down by Jan Bednarek but still managed to score, much to the delight of the fans. The cross was delivered by the impressive Matheus Nunes, who made his first league start of the season on the left flank. Shortly after, the skillful Portuguese player entered the area and took a shot, which Aaron Ramsdale saved, but Nunes had gone unmarked.
Haaland's goal was his first in the competition in October, a surprising statistic for a striker of his caliber. It ended a three-match drought in the league and put the visitors on the back foot. They needed to capitalize on any opportunity, such as when Mateus Fernandes passed the ball forward to Cameron Archer from an inside-left position. Archer had a half-step on Rúben Dias in City's half but miscontrolled the ball, allowing the defender to clear. Southampton, while aesthetically pleasing, lacked effectiveness. For instance, Adam Lallana, pressured near his penalty area by Mateo Kovacic, spun and glided past the holding player, drawing applause from Russell Martin, but the move fizzled out, and City regained control.
Guardiola, known for his strict demands, was visibly frustrated when Savinho intercepted a loose pass from Southampton, dribbled into the area, and hesitated, allowing the threat to be neutralized. In the week, Martin criticized Sky Sports for labeling his job security as 'breaking news.' If this indicates a need for thicker skin, Ramsdale demonstrated why the manager is under scrutiny, illustrating Martin's insistence on playing out from the goalkeeper. A flustered Ramsdale mishit the ball to the lurking Bernardo Silva near the six-yard area. Silva would have found Haaland if not for Taylor Harwood-Bellis's desperate block. Flynn Downes also narrowly avoided a yellow card for a legitimate challenge on Silva. Martin then criticized the referee, resulting in a booking for himself.
The first half ended with Archer skimming down the left and hitting Ederson's bar, but he was offside. The second half began with a burst from Savinho that exposed Southampton's defense: he passed to Phil Foden, whose attempt missed to Ramsdale's left. City's next goal seemed imminent but never came. Foden delivered a corner, Haaland rose and headed, but Harwood-Bellis cleared it off the line. The ball returned to Haaland, who headed again, but Ramsdale saved. Savinho crossed from the right to the far post, and Haaland somehow tipped it wide from close range, much to his frustration. In between, Adam Armstrong, who came on for Tyler Dibling after the break, aimed straight at Ederson during a counterattack along City's left. Then, near disaster for Fernandes. The hosts boxed Southampton in, and the No 18's solution was a wild pass from the left sideline straight to Nunes, but he couldn't capitalize.
A subplot featured Haaland's missed headers: the next came from a Savinho delivery he directed across goal rather than into it. By the end, Gündogan was on the field, but this was a rare subdued City performance, nearly ending in a draw, saved only by substitute Joe Aribo's weak late effort.
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