Man City 1-0 Southampton (Oct 26, 2024) Match analysis

Manchester City's Erling Haaland scored an early goal to give the champions the interim Premier League lead with a 1-0 win over lowly Southampton at the Etihad on Saturday.

Pep Guardiola's team have 23 points after nine games, two ahead of Liverpool, who visit Arsenal on Sunday.

Southampton are still winless in their first season back in the top flight after an away season and are in last place with one point.

“It’s important to be there,” said Guardiola. “We created chances. As always, Erling had two or three clear chances. But I’m not worried, it’s important to have 23 points now.”

While Haaland scored a fine goal in Wednesday's 5-0 Champions League win over Sparta Prague, he had gone without a goal in three Premier League games, but ended that drought in the fifth minute on Saturday.

While wrestling with defender Jan Bednarek, the 24-year-old Norway international, a master of scoring from difficult angles, slammed the ball into the roof of the net with one toe as he fell on his backside.

Southampton had a great chance to equalize just before half-time when Cameron Archer found himself one-on-one with keeper Ederson – Saints coach Russell Martin was already raising his hands in celebration – but the striker smashed his shot onto the crossbar.

Haaland, whose 11 goals lead the league's scoring charts, had a series of near misses in the second half, including a close-range pass that he pushed narrowly wide before burying his head in his hands in disbelief.

“Today was like good [Southampton] played with the ball, with the goalkeeper [Aaron Ramsdale] and the movement,” Guardiola said. “It’s a good game to learn as a manager.”

“I will learn a lot from Russell [Martin, Southampton boss] because they did it really well. We were humbled and accepted that they did really well.”

The afternoon was a tale of teams going in opposite directions, with City extending their Premier League unbeaten run to 32 games. They have not lost a league game at the Etihad since a defeat against Brentford in November 2022. Southampton have not won at City since 2004.

The victory for Guardiola's team wasn't particularly pretty.

They did just enough to beat a Southampton team who were stuck in their own half for most of the afternoon. Russell Martin's side will have to take solace in conceding just one goal, having conceded 18 in their last eight league games.

“We are used to having to be patient when teams defend deep against us, which makes it more difficult,” City midfielder Bernardo Silva said.

“We had our chances to score three or four goals to get it done but [Southampton] deserve great recognition for what they have achieved here today.

City overwhelmed the visitors with 22 shots, while Saints scored five goals.

Martin said Guardiola and City striker Phil Foden turned to him with kind words after the whistle.

“I think they felt like we were really brave with the ball and did some things to them that not a lot of teams do,” Martin said.

“Pep congratulated us on how the team looked and how they played. It’s not easy to play like that and I think Pep understands that more than anyone.”