Premier League: Southampton remain winless
Manchester City 1 - 0 Southampton
Manchester City reclaimed their spot at the top of the Premier League table after an early goal from Erling Haaland secured a narrow victory over struggling Southampton.
Haaland muscled past Jan Bednarek to connect with Matheus Nunes' cross just five minutes in, slipping the ball past Saints’ goalkeeper Aaron Ramsdale for his 11th league goal of the season. At that moment, it seemed as though the visitors were in for a tough afternoon.
However, a combination of resilient defending from Southampton and some wasteful finishing by City—Haaland being a notable offender—left the home fans feeling a bit uneasy until the final whistle.
This win extended City’s unbeaten run in the Premier League to 32 matches. They are now only six weeks away from going a full year without a league defeat, their last loss coming against Aston Villa on 6 December.
While Southampton deserve credit for their determined display, the result did little to ease their troubles at the bottom of the table. Russell Martin’s side have only managed to secure a single point, nearly a quarter of the way into the season.
Southampton can draw some comfort from the memory of 1998-99, when they also failed to win any of their first nine games yet managed to avoid relegation. But Martin will be hoping for patience from the club’s owners as he strives to turn around their fortunes following their return to the top flight.
Can the Saints stay up?
This was a match where many Southampton fans feared a heavy defeat. That never materialised. However, they will still be concerned that they are still without a win. The return of Adam Lallana was a big plus for them though. At 36, the former England midfielder won't play every minute of every game. His experience will prove to be invaluable.
Jamie P, a Southampton fan, gave us his thoughts after the match via Facebook Messenger. He said: "The lack of a win is still a huge concern, but that performance was much better. Ultimately, it won't be defeats like this that send us down, it will be moments like the Leicester match."
