Impressive Southampton end Manchester City’s winning run with draw at St Mary’s

Manchester City have failed to win a Premier League game for the first time since October, drawing 1-1 with Southampton at St Mary’s.

City came into this match 11 points clear at the summit – albeit having played one more game than second-placed Liverpool – having won their last 12 league games on the bounce. That run came under threat after seven minutes, however, when Kyle Walker-Peters scored a fantastic goal to put the hosts ahead.

After a loose pass from Raheem Sterling on the edge of the box, Southampton counter-attacked and Oriol Romeu picked out Walker-Peters on the right with a trademark cross-field ball. Walker-Peters moved it onto Nathan Redmond ahead of him then sprinted into the box to receive the return pass, lashing a shot into the top corner with the outside of his boot.

The Saints thought they had gone 2-0 up with 22 minutes on the clock when Armando Broja nipped in behind and slotted past Ederson, only for the goal to be chalked off for a narrow offside. City had several good chances of their own before the break, Jack Grealish forcing Fraser Forster to save with his feet and Sterling curling over the crossbar before the latter, having been teed up by Phil Foden, somehow failed to beat the goalkeeper from five yards.

The second half started at an explosive pace, Jan Bednarek forcing Ederson into a reflex save with an improvised header at a corner before Rodri stung Forster’s palms from outside the area. Once again the hosts nearly doubled their lead through Broja, who was threaded through by Stuart Armstrong only to be denied by the covering run of Aymeric Laporte.

Laporte was the saviour for City at the other end not long afterwards, popping up at the far post to nod home a pinpoint free-kick from Kevin De Bruyne. City wanted a penalty when De Bruyne was brought down on the edge of the area but VAR declined to intervene following a review – just as it did when Armstrong caught Laporte on the thigh with a high boot moments later – and despite a flurry of late chances the league leaders were denied a 13th straight win.