Manchester City’s push to secure Champions League football for next season suffered a hugely surprising setback as they were held to a 0-0 draw by relegated Southampton.
City had the chance to move into second place in the Premier League with a victory over the side condemned to finish the season bottom.
However, they fluffed their lines despite the long-awaited return of Erling Haaland from an ankle injury, Southampton holding on to keep their first clean sheet since November.
It means City miss a chance to go six points clear of sixth-placed Nottingham Forest in the race for the Champions League places. The top five will qualify for the Champions League, but City will be leapfrogged in the table if there is a winner in Sunday’s massive game between Newcastle United and Chelsea at St James’ Park.
Southampton v Manchester City
Haaland was restored to the starting XI as one of five changes made by Pep Guardiola from last week’s win over Wolves, but his side struggled to make much of their predictable dominance of possession.
Their best chance of the opening half came when Kevin De Bruyne dipped a free-kick from the edge of the area narrowly over the crossbar.
Opportunities were not readily forthcoming to start the second half despite the introduction of Jeremy Doku on the left flank, though Southampton’s defending did become increasingly desperate as City turned the screw in their quest for a decisive goal.
Haaland twice failed to connect with deliveries from Phil Foden as the Norwegian endured a frustrating afternoon and, when City were able to test Aaron Ramsdale, they found the Southampton goalkeeper in fine form.
Ramsdale displayed great reflexes to deny Manuel Akanji from De Bruyne’s ball in, before Savinho and Nico O’Reilly each fluffed their lines with the goal gaping following Haaland’s square pass.
Savinho and Ruben Dias were thwarted by a double save from Ramsdale, with Marmoush the next to experience frustration as his poked effort was cleared in a scramble in the six-yard box.
The Egyptian was the man who went the closest to breaking Southampton’s impressive resistance when he whipped an effort against the crossbar in the 91st minute with Ramsdale beaten, with luck for once on Southampton’s side as they stood firm to claim a point that means they surpass Derby County’s record for the fewest Premier League points in a season.
Southampton now have 12 points, one more than Derby managed in 2007-08, but it’s a stalemate that could have much greater consequences at the other end of the table in two weeks’ time.
