MANCHESTER CITY 2, SOUTHAMPTON 1
Sergio Aguero and Kyle Walker struck late to beat Southampton and secure Manchester City’s 200th Premier League win at the Etihad Stadium.
After their 9-0 defeat to Leicester last week and 3-1 defeat to City in the Carabao Cup, Southampton’s Premier League visit to Manchester City was anything but easy for Pep Guardiola’s side.
Southampton boss Ralph Hasenhuttl had viewed Tuesday’s game as a training exercise and for long stretches it looked as though he had got his homework right as the Saints frustrated City after taking the lead.
Only four players had retained their place in the side from the midweek 3-1 win – Kyle Walker, Angelino, Bernardo Silva, and Sergio Aguero.
Angelino was making his Premier League debut for the club.
Southampton changed just three players – Jannik Vestergaard, Danny Ings, and Nathan Redmond came back into the side.
And the Saints took a shock early lead after a mistake by Ederson, who spilled Stuart Armstrong’s low shot with James Ward-Prowse reacting first to put the Saints 1-0 up after just 13 minutes.
Once ahead, Southampton put on a heroic rearguard action, blocking and thwarting City’s attempts to prise them open both wide and centrally.
Danny Ings had a shot saved by Ederson as they took a break from the siege having successfully prevented City from having a shot on target.
Sergio Aguero finally got a shot on target after 70 minutes from 8 yards, threading the ball through Alex McCarthy’s legs after Kyle Walker’s cutback to level the scores.
The Etihad erupted into life.
Bernardo Silva had a shot tipped over by Alex McCarthy and the Saints keeper inexplicably gave away an indirect free kick in his area by picking up a backpass.
Lee Mason didn’t mark out the full 10 yards and Kevin De Bruyne shot wide.
Aguero and Gundogan also shot wide as City pushed for the winner with Guardiola acting as ballboy for much of the second half.
The tension was rising until Angelino’s late cross was palmed out only as far as Walker who slid in for a volley into the 86th minute to put City into the lead.
Sterling didn’t pass to Jesus with the striker available to his left while De Bruyne found Jesus only for McCarthy to save as City couldn’t make the tense game safe.
PLAYER RATINGS – Manchester City 2, Southampton 1
Ederson: 5. Spilled Stuart Armstrong’s daisy cutter allowing James Ward-Prowse to have an easy tap-in.
Kyle Walker: 7. Defensively sloppy but managed to get a cutback to Sergio Aguero who did the rest after 70 minutes. Slid in for the winning goal – volleying Angelino’s cross in after McCarthy could only tip it out to him – 3 minutes from the end.
Fernandinho: 6. Pushed into midfield in the second half with City chasing the game but .
John Stones: 7. Comfortable at the back against sporadic Southampton threat. Had a header go wide as City struggled to break down the visitors.
Angelino: 7. Continued his good start from the Carabao Cup game and put the effort in with dome decent crosses. His late cross was tipped out by Alex McCarthy to Kyle Walker who won it for City.
Ilkay Gundogan: 6. Deep lying playmaker role suits him and he was left relatively unmarked to spray passes around. Had several shots charged down by deep lying Saints.
Kevin De Bruyne: 6. Drifted around, early shot blocked. Anonymous until late in the game as space opened up for him.
David Silva: 5. Not magical today – unable to get through the Southampton wall, substituted off at half time for Gabriel Jesus.
Bernardo Silva: 5. Closed down quickly by Southampton when in advanced positions but passing and crossing not great. Had a great shot from 12 yards tipped over by Alex McCarthy in the last 13 minutes but that was one good moment amid a series of frustrating ones.
Raheem Sterling: 6. Clever dinks and attempts to cross but thwarted by deep lying Southampton. Was unable to find Gabriel Jesus for a shot that could have made the game safe.
Sergio Aguero: 6. Was never going to reach high crosses against Southampton’s defenders who were closing down the spaces quickly. Didn’t look interested until Walker finally got a cutback to him and he pounced in the 70th minute.
Gabriel Jesus (on for David Silva, 46): 6. On as an extra attacker in the second half with little effect. Fluffed a chance to make the game safe.
Phil Foden (on for Bernardo Silva, 84): No time to mark.
Otamendi (on for Sergio Aguero, 90+1): No time to mark.
GOALS – Manchester City 2, Southampton 1
Man City 0, Southampton 1: 13. James Ward-Prowse tapped in the opener after Ederson spilled Stuart Armstrong’s daisy cutter shot from Nathan Redmond’s cross
Man City 1, Southampton 1: 70. Sergio Aguero made no mistake from 8 yards, threading the ball through Alex McCarthy’s legs after Kyle Walker’s cutback.
Man City 2, Southampton 1: 86. Kyle Walker volleyed in from 8 yards out after McCarthy could only touch Angelino’s left wing cross out to him.
MATCH STATS – Manchester City 2, Southampton 1
Man City: Ederson, Walker, Fernandinho, Stones, Angelino, Gundogan, De Bruyne, David Silva (Jesus 46), Bernardo Silva (Foden 84), Sterling, Aguero
Man City Subs not used: Bravo, Mendy, Mahrez, Cancelo, Otamendi
Booking: Sterling 40 (foul on Jan Valery), Gundogan 89 (sliding in), Ederson 90+4 (time wasting)
Goals: Aguero 70, Walker 86
Southampton: McCarthy, Valery (Danso 75), Bednarek (Adams 88), Stephens, Vestergaard, Hojbjerg, Ward-Prowse, Romeu, Armstrong, Ings (Djenepo 84), Redmond
Southampton Subs not used: Gunn, Yoshida, Long, Adams, Boufal
Booking: Hojbjerg 18 (foul on Bernardo Silva)
Goal: Ward-Prowse 13
Referee: Lee Mason