CHE WHIZZ!
Adams fires Saints to victory over City with a cracker
SOUTHAMPTON 1 MAN CITY 0
CHE ADAMS produced one of the goals of the season to stun Manchester City.
Adams beat City keeper Ederson from 40 yards to give Saints the lead in the 16th minute and then had their own keeper, Alex McCarthy, to thank for frustrating Pep Guardiola (right) and his men to claim a famous victory.
IT always takes something truly special to beat this marvellous Manchester City team.
This time, it was a 40-yard wonder goal and a goalkeeping masterclass that defied Pep Guardiola’s City slickers.
Southampton striker Che Adams, who has often struggled to make the step up since his £10million move from Championship Birmingham a year ago, scored an incredible 16thminute effort.
But even his unlikely fairy-tale was arguably upstaged by Saints keeper Alex McCarthy, who made a remarkable catalogue of saves to thwart the visitors’ forward line.
At times, it was like the Alamo as City were denied time after time.
It might also have been a very different story if Sergio
Aguero had been leading their front line because Guardiola’s men were wasteful.
But Southampton deserve huge credit because they never stopped running and working in what was a terrific encounter to prove that, even in these surreal terms, the Premier League can always spring a surprise.
The most fascinating thing about behind-closed-doors games is to be able to hear every cough, spit and splutter from the dugout. One TV company tried to paint some outtakes as an insight when it was only interesting because it was so basic, like “man on”. Strictly Sunday League stuff.
However, watching from just behind the dugout at St Mary’s, it was incredible to listen to Saints boss Ralph Hasenhuttl. His frantic instructions are normally drowned out by the crowd, but actually this manager has to be the loudest in the Premier League.
And it is no wonder Southampton have made such strides under the Austrian’s stewardship with the way he drives on his players.
His non-stop instructions and raw enthusiasm gives his team an incredible energy as they chased, harried and closed down City.
The former champions
have a real problem at left-back as Benjamin Mendy has gone backwards and his deputy Oleksandr Zinchenko is error-prone. Saints’ Stuart Armstrong nicked the ball off Zinchenko after 16 minutes and it fell to Adams.
The forward did not hesitate and, spotting City keeper Ederson off his line, launched an incredible curling, dipping lob, which flew into the empty net.
It was his first goal since joining Southampton last year and one the 23-year-old will never forget.
City laid siege to the home side’s goal, but they could not find a way through.
Gabriel Jesus fired high and wide from close range, Raheem Sterling forced a brilliant save from McCarthy, and then a follow-up shot from Fernandinho (right) hit the post. McCarthy’s legs also denied Riyad Mahrez.
It was relentless into the second half as Saints keeper McCarthy made save after save, denying Aymeric Laporte and then David Silva from point-blank range after the Spain veteran’s sublime turn.
When that did not work,
Guardiola sent for the cavalry and on came Kevin De Bruyne and Phil Foden for Sterling and Mahrez.
As Hasenhuttl’s screams got more desperate, you could see Guardiola growing more frustrated as the ball would just not go in for his relentless team.
City carried on knocking at the door, but just could not find a way through. In fact, it was Southampton’s Armstrong who went closest to another goal at the other end, but was denied by City keeper Ederson.
What a thrilling game and upset.