Manchester City squandered their chance to solidify their spot in the top five after being held to a 0-0 draw with already-relegated Southampton at St Mary's Stadium.
A victory would have pulled City level with second-placed Arsenal, but they remain in third with 65 points, still close to top-four rivals Newcastle, Chelsea, Nottingham Forest, and Aston Villa.
With just two rounds left, City lead seventh-placed Villa by five points in the tight European qualification battle. Their final matches against Bournemouth and Fulham mean the fight for continental football will likely be decided in the closing moments of the season.
Despite maintaining 70% possession throughout the match, Manchester City’s attacking output was severely limited by Southampton’s organized defense, generating just 0.04 expected goals in the opening period. This represented a dramatic improvement from Southampton’s season-long defensive struggles (82 goals conceded in 36 games), with Ramsdale, Stephens and Harwood-Bellis particularly impressive. City’s best opportunities came when Stephens cleared Silva’s shot off the line and when new substitutes Savinho and O’Reilly failed to capitalize on Haaland’s inviting cross immediately following their introduction for Foden and Lewis.
Substitutes Doku and Marmoush injected fresh attacking impetus for City, driving their team forward in relentless waves. Yet Southampton’s defense stood firm against the onslaught, miraculously preserving only their third shutout of the entire season.
