THIS may have been Manchester City’s most embarrassing day amid a desperate season.
Held by one of the worst teams in Premier League history, Pep Guardiola tucked up by Southampton’s third manager of the season.
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Simon Rusk is someone even Saints fans would struggle to recognise on the street – but Guardiola will not forget him in a hurry now.
This was Manchester City’s chance to all but sew up their Champions League place for next season by going level on points with Arsenal.
But for the first time in almost a decade, they failed to beat the team bottom of the Premier League – racking up 26 shots but gaining nothing.
The most unexpected of points for already-relegated Saints finally takes them clear of Derby County’s all-time low record.
They are up to the heady heights of 12 points from 36 games.
That even prompted a cheeky tweet at full-time, posting: “Sorry if we got your hopes up, @dcfcofficial.”
Guardiola had admitted that this had already been his most challenging season as a manager, and this would have made it all the more infuriating.
City arrived unbeaten since the March international break, looking back to themselves and with an FA Cup final ready to seize next weekend.
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What horrendous preparation this was – their resurgence foiled by a defence which has shipped 82 goals this season.
City were lacking – of course they were – but the Saints rear-guard, Jan Bednarek, Jack Stephens and Taylor Harwood-Bellis, deserve huge praise.
Those ahead of them hardly left their half while Aaron Ramsdale was equal to everything thrown his way.
They stuck to an almighty, sapping task and managed to drag Guardiola’s men down to their desperate level.
Erling Haaland, who returned after six weeks injured but made little impact, had called for more hunger – but the only ones showing it were in red and white.
City were frustrated throughout a first half which had all the intensity of Soccer Aid.
Saints effectively laid out two banks of five, and Guardiola’s men could not get through.
After half an hour, they had just one shot off target to show for their effort.
Southampton had a clear plan and were sticking to it, even their short spells on the ball rarely resulted in a red and white shirt crossing the halfway line.
Kamaldeen Sulemana, the lone forward, had one foray forwards before Mateus Fernandes tried the same – to huge cheers from the stands.
With ten Saints shirts parked within 20 yards of their own goal, Kevin De Bruyne, Phil Foden and Bernardo Silva were reduced to sideways passes.
City’s only real chances came from set pieces on the edge of the Saints box.
De Bruyne put one just over the bar before the second, on the brink of half-time, went straight into the wall.
City’s irritation was evident at the break as De Bruyne and Silva ranted towards referee Tim Robinson over Lesley Ugochukwu, on a booking, blocking a quick free-kick.
Their protests for a second booking were ignored, but Rusk took note and replaced him at the break.
Guardiola made a change, too. Jeremy Doku was sent on for James McAtee in a bid to add some pace to the City attack.
But still they toiled as the minutes ticked by, reaching the hour mark looking no closer to an opener and with Haaland still on the periphery.
The Norwegian flung himself at a Foden free-kick as it whistled through the six-yard box but did not connect.
Saints had looked to move forward on a couple of occasions, daring to leave their posts.
Tyler Dibling moved into City’s final third and beat Josko Gvardiol, only to bizarrely have a free-kick given against him.
But then it was back to defending, Jack Stephens in the perfect spot to hook Silva’s shot over the bar when Ramsdale was beaten.
Rusk decided to see how far he could push this and sent on a striker, Cameron Archer replacing Dibling.
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Within seconds the hosts nearly had an opener with Ruben Dias having to block Fernandes’ strike.
That, for the first time, gave City the chance to counter but still they fell short.
Doku did everything right, breaking away and squaring for Haaland – who was one-on-one but smothered by Ramsdale.
Southampton fans were increasingly finding their voice – also perhaps wondering why this tactic had not been adopted back in November.
There would still have been a lingering expectation that this would soon collapse, City would get one and then another and so on.
But the goal never arrived.
Savinho and Nico O’Reilly were called upon, but still Saints did not blink at the back.
When the visitors did find a gap, they could not capitalise.
Haaland found space with the ball at his feet for the first time all afternoon, broke in behind and squared for O’Reilly, but he could not meet the ball and ended up flat on the floor.
‘DELIGHTED’
Ramsdale stood up to everything which came his way, tipping an awkward Savinho effort behind before impressively stretching to deny Dias with seven minutes to go.
De Bruyne had a pop too – though fired straight at the England keeper, who was rewarded with a slice of luck when substitute Omar Marmoush struck the bar in injury time.
Everything felt like it was on Southampton’s side, and they almost won it with a minute to go, Archer denied by Ederson at the near post.
The time was flying by for City, corner after corner and attack after attack resulting in nothing.
Welington, on just his fourth Premier League start was immense and Ramsdale stood up to everything.
City were surging closer and closer to the Southampton goalmouth, but never crossed the line, much to Ramsdale’s relief.
He said: “Delighted. We’re not happy about how the season has gone but we’re happy we’ve avoided that record.
“We’re under no illusions that it’s not a great points tally. The fans are happy in the sun smiling.
“Everyone knows it’s been a difficult season for us. That one was for the fans and also the lads who have given everything.
“A lot of Mondays coming in after heavy defeats. Today is a relief.”
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