By hannover-web.com Jamie Jackson at the Etihad Stadium, Saturday, October 26, 2024
Manchester City continues to dominate the Premier League, sending a clear message to Liverpool and Arsenal that they need to keep pace. With a hard-fought victory, City climbs to the top of the standings, and as the weekend progresses, the stakes are high for both Arsenal and Liverpool in their upcoming matches.
Currently, City sits at 23 points, leading Liverpool by two and Arsenal by six. Mikel Arteta’s team knows a loss is simply not an option if they want to stay competitive.
Despite their success, Pep Guardiola’s squad appeared somewhat off their game. Recently, he has emphasized the importance of patience, and while Erling Haaland had chances for a hat-trick, injuries limited Guardiola’s ability to make substitutions, leaving him with only Ilkay Gündogan as a viable attacking option on the bench.
In Wednesday’s match against Sparta Prague, Haaland scored with an incredible reverse-heeled volley, and just five minutes into this contest, he managed to find the net again after being fouled by Jan Bednarek, much to the delight of the fans. The goal resulted from a clever cross by Matheus Nunes, who was impressive on the left during his first league start this season. Haaland’s strike broke his three-match league goal drought, a surprising stat for a player of his caliber.
On the other hand, Southampton struggled to convert opportunities. For instance, Adam Lallana, with a clever move past Mateo Kovacic, attracted applause, but his efforts ultimately fell short as City regained control.
After the match, Guardiola expressed admiration for Southampton’s manager, Russell Martin, but couldn’t hide his frustration when Savinho missed a chance to assist Haaland following a stray pass. The pressure on Martin was evident; he had previously commented on the media speculation surrounding his job security.
In a tense moment, Ramsdale found himself under pressure and nearly gave away a goal when he accidentally passed the ball to Bernardo Silva. Fortunately, a defensive block kept Southampton in the game. Following some contentious moments, including a booking for Martin after arguing with the referee, the match remained tightly contested.
The first half ended with Cameron Archer hitting the crossbar, but his efforts were deemed offside. The second half saw Savinho break through, passing to Phil Foden, whose attempt narrowly missed.
City pressed for a second goal but struggled to find the net, with Haaland missing several key chances, including a close header saved by Ramsdale. As the match closed, Joe Aribo had one last opportunity for Southampton, but his weak effort was stopped.
Bernardo Silva voiced his thoughts on Southampton’s performance, stating, “I watched their games this season, and I think they deserve a lot more points than what they’ve got.”
