• Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar

Manchester Football

A website about football in Manchester

You are here: Home / Manchester City / Manchester City finish season with six straight wins as Frank Lampard bows out of English football against Southampton

Manchester City finish season with six straight wins as Frank Lampard bows out of English football against Southampton

May 24, 2015 by Tony Bugby

MAN CITY 2, SOUTHAMPTON 0

Manchester City finished the season with a sixth straight win but it was not enough to retain their Barclays Premier League title.

Runners-up City ended the campaign on a high as goals from Frank Lampard, on his farewell appearance in English football, and golden-boot winner Sergio Aguero saw off spirited Southampton at the Etihad Stadium.

And though City were eight points behind champions Chelsea, they at least bowed out on a victorious note to provide renewed of a championship challenge in 2015-16.

Manager Manuel Pellegrini was in buoyant mood after the game reiterating his view that he does not believe Chelsea possess more quality.

He said: “I think this season we lost the title because we lost at least nine points against teams in relegation places.

“In our two games against Chelsea, I think we were the better team, but the difference was Chelsea were more consistent and did not lose easy points. I didn’t think they are a better team in terms of quality.”

Pellegrini added that the substitutions of Yaya Toure and James Milner was not meant to be their farewells claiming both were tiring after returning from injury lay offs.

But City’s manager explained that he anticipates there will be changes of personnel in the summer.

“Teams always need changes and new faces, but the only player going is Frank Lampard,” he said.

And Pellegrini also had words of praise for Lampard saying: “I spoke before the game with the whole squad saying it was important to finish here by winning the game.

“It was also important for Frank and he deserved his farewell from all the people, the fans and for him to score was the perfect goodbye. He has had a brilliant career and is a great person.”

Pellegrini also praised Aguero who has scored 32 goals for City in the current campaign saying this is the first time in his career that he has won a golden boot which was important for him.

City’s manager says it is impossible to compare Aguero with any other player and believes there is more to come and he will become an even better player.

Pellegrini is confident that he will remain City manager.

“See you next season, I hope,” were his parting words to the press.

While City were assured of runners-up spot, Saints still had plenty to play for as they had an outside chance of winning a place in next season’s Europa League.

And the fact they needed a win to achieve an European place was reflected in their attacking line up which included three front players, Graziano Pelle, Shane Long and Sadio Mane.

Lampard captained City on his farewell appearance before heading Stateside to join New York City FC.

City also fielded effectively their strongest line up, though Fernando Reges and Samir Nasri were both ruled out through injury.

There was plenty to early endeavour from both sides, but little in terms of quality as they failed to create a meaningful chance.

It took 20 minutes before either keeper was extended. Then Joe Hart made a comfortable diving save to deny Toby Alderweireld.

City ought to have taken the lead moments later when David Silva released Aguero who blazed over with the goal inviting.

They went close again when Toure’s initial shot was parried by Saints’ keeper Kelvin Davis who blocked Aguero’s follow-up shot which rebounded back to him as he fired well over the bar.

The breakthrough came in the 31st minute when James Milner crossed from the right for Lampard to score a parting goal as he ran from deep to fired high into the roof of the net from 12 yards, his seventh goal of the season for City and 177th in the Premier League.

Moments later Aguero ought to have made it 2-0 as he burst clean through only for Davis to make a stunning save.

And Davis was called into action to make another stupendous stop, this time to prevent Alderweireld putting through his own goal.

Saints created a couple of decent chances early in the second half only for players to stray offside as they kept threatening to conjure an equaliser.

Shane Long also brought two diving saves from Hart, whose clean sheet earned him the Premier League’s golden glove award for the fourth time and Mane also headed at the keeper as City’s lead remained precarious.

Lampard was replaced by Jesus Navas with 13 minutes left as he left the field to a standing ovation from the City and Saints’ fans and embraces by Pellegrini and his management team on his farewell.

It was also the same when Milner went off not long after as he, too, may have played his last game for City.

City doubled their lead with two minutes left. Navas’ shot was blocked and looped to the far post for Eliaquim Mangala to head back across the face of goal for Aguero to nod in his 26th Premier League goal of the season and 32nd in all competitions.

Filed Under: Manchester City, Match Report, North West, Premier League Tagged With: Frank Lampard, Manuel Pellegrini, Sergio Aguero, Southampton

Privacy & Cookies: This site uses cookies. By continuing to use this website, you agree to their use.
To find out more, including how to control cookies, see here: Cookie Policy

Primary Sidebar

Categories

  • Altrincham
  • Ashton United
  • Curzon Ashton
  • Europe
  • FA Cup
  • Hyde United
  • International
  • League Cup
  • Manchester City
  • Manchester City Women
  • Manchester United
  • Manchester United Women
  • Match Report
  • Melbourne City FC
  • Mossley
  • New York City FC
  • Non League
  • North West
  • Oldham Athletic
  • Premier League
  • Stockport County
  • UEFA Champions League
  • Uncategorized

Manchester Football

  • Log in
  • Entries feed
  • Comments feed
  • WordPress.org

RSS Manchesterfootball Youtube

  • Lineups and fireworks at Manchester City vs Bournemouth - Saturday August 13 2022 4K
    manchesterfootball
  • Reaction from Brighton fans as Pascal Gross scores twice at Old Trafford against Man Utd - 4K
    manchesterfootball
  • Reaction to Cristiano Ronaldo and Rayo Vallecano smoke bombs at Old Trafford - Man Utd - 4K
    manchesterfootball

RSS BBC Football News

  • Thursday's quiz: Can you name these seven Premier League players? August 17, 2022
    Think you know your Premier League players? Well now you can prove it by taking our picture quiz every weekday.
  • Sir Jim Ratcliffe: Billionaire wants to buy Manchester United August 17, 2022
    British billionaire Sir Jim Ratcliffe wants to buy Manchester United if the Glazer family put the club up for sale.
  • Everton issue stadium ban to fan who sexually assaulted woman August 17, 2022
    Everton issue a lengthy stadium ban to a fan who sexually harassed a woman during their home match against Chelsea on 6 August.
  • Callum Hudson-Odoi: Chelsea winger set to leave on loan in search of regular football August 17, 2022
    Chelsea winger Callum Hudson-Odoi is close to a loan move as he seeks more game time.

Search Manchester Football

Copyright © 2022 · Metro Pro on Genesis Framework · WordPress · Log in