Southampton did, at least, lose by only two goals and achieve against Pep Guardiola’s men what they failed to do against the Foxes – score – but until City slackenedoff towards the end they were too tentative. Guardiola, who made nine changes, gave 18-year-old Tommy Doyle his senior debut and chose both Sergio Agüero and Gabriel Jesus – in his 4-3-3 – for the first time since September’s 2-1 win over Newcastle United here. Ralph Hasenhüttl retained five of the XI that were humiliated by Leicester - Oriol Romeu, James Ward-Prowse, Pierre-Emile Højbjerg, Jan Bednarek and Yan Valery. The first shot they witnessed was Riyad Mahrez aiming low at Alex McCarthy’s goal but the keeper was able to gather the ball with ease. There was far less composure when McCarthy flapped at an Angeliño cross and saw the ball ping around in front him; the visiting keeperwas lucky this did not lead to the City opener. The No 69 spoiled a tidy start by spraying a corner from the left straight out during an opening passage in which Saints were pinned back. This time Doyle took a short corner to Bernardo Silva, he swung the ball in and Nicolas Otamendi moved between Romeu and Bednarek to head past McCarthy from close in. It drew a self-mocking chorus of “one-nil to theempty seats” from the home support, as they referenced swathes of unoccupied areas inside the stadium. Yet, when Shane Long found himself with the ball deep in City’s territory just before the 30-minute mark it was the furthest his team ventured throughout the opening half. Saints, perhaps in damage limitation mode after Friday’s embarrassment, had shown close to zero intent, City enjoying 79% of possession. When high gear was engaged the visitors could do nothing about it, as illustrated when Agüero burst through the middle, flipped the ball to Mahrez, and his reverse pass had Silva in.
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