The Saints showed resilience and defensive grit throughout the match, frustrating a Manchester City side that dominated possession and created multiple chances. Kevin De Bruyne came close to breaking the deadlock with a free-kick that narrowly sailed over Aaron Ramsdale's crossbar, but City's usual sharpness in the final third was missing.
Pep Guardiola's side failed to score against a team starting the day at the bottom of the table for the first time since November 2015, when they played out a goalless draw against Aston Villa. Remarkably, Manchester City have now failed to score in four of their last 11 Premier League matches—matching the number of blanks from their previous 55 league games.
The xG statistics told the story of missed opportunities, with City registering an xG of 1.89 compared to Southampton's mere 0.11. Despite their dominance, City could not find a breakthrough, with Omar Marmoush's late strike against the crossbar serving as a warning sign for Guardiola’s men.
The dropped points could be costly for City's pursuit of Champions League qualification, as they now sit just ahead of sixth-placed Nottingham Forest, who have a game in hand. Meanwhile, Southampton's spirited display gives them a morale boost as they avoid the unwanted record and look to finish the season on a positive note.
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