SAINTS ALIVE
League Cup KO leaves Guardiola stunned
NATHAN JONES and rock-bottom Southampton pulled off one of the shocks of the season by dumping Manchester City out of the Carabao Cup last night. Two goals in six first-half minutes by Sekou Mara and Moussa djenepo swept aside Pep Guardiola’s much-changed team.
MANCHESTER CITy have been good to Southamptonpton lately,ely, allowing severaleral players andnd staff to swapp the Etihad for St Mary’s.
But their generosity surely would not extend to allowing the south h coast club to claim the Carabao bao Cup semi-final place that was at stakeake too, right? Wrong. Very wrong, iin fact.
Southampton gave Nathan Jones’ reign lift- off in the game most would had down as the least likely to end with a famous win of all those he has faced so far.
The Premier League champions — even much-changed — with silverware in sight in a competition they had won four times in the five years? No chance.
But Southampton stunned Pep Guardiola and his out- of- sorts players to reach the last four and send City crashing out.
Jones has been struggling to win round his doubters since his November appointment. Losing all four of his league games had done nothing to help his cause and domestic cup wins against Lincoln and Crystal Palace not much to appease his critics, either.
But that surely changed last night. And the beauty of this unforgettable win for Jones was how much his side deserved it.
It was a tactical masterclass, against a man who has made a career out of them. At St Mary’s, Guardiola was well and truly outwitted by Jones.
Southampton defended with discipline, desire and defiance to nullify City in a fashion rarely seen, even when the cavalry arrived in the second half. And they looked far more dangerous going forward, rewarded for their display with memorable goals from Sekou Mara and Moussa Djenepo.
This was no backs-to-the-wall job and there was nothing fortunate about it. But plenty to ponder for Guardiola given what lies ahead.
Saturday’s FA Cup win at Crystal Palace was a much-needed boost for Southampton and manager Nathan Jones, who named new attacking midfield signing Mislav Orsic on the bench.
Another new addition, £12million midfielder Carlos ‘Charly’ Alcaraz, was confirmed ahead of kick- off and he was paraded on the pitch before the teams walked out.
A full debut for Kalvin Phillips was the eye-catching selection in City’s side, with the likes of Kevin De Bruyne and Erling Haaland starting on the bench ahead of Saturday’s Manchester derby.
City threatened first when Ilkay Gundogan dribbled a shot wide after Mohammed Salisu failed with three attempts to clear.
Southampton then responded with a Duje Caleta-Car drive that required a fingertip save from Stefan Ortega and a header from Salisu that City’s backup keeper gratefully held to bring an end to the home side’s flurry of activity.
Unsurprisingly, possession was being dominated by City but Southampton were proving hard to break down and capable of posing problems at the other end.
Lyanco, Southampton’s rugged, no-nonsense centre back, deployed at right back last night, clipped a ball over the top that was perfect for Mara. He sliced his shot wildly after controlling the ball instantly with his thigh but that link-up was a warning of what was to come.
Southampton sensed something. James-Ward Prowse’s ball over the top almost released Mara but just about skipped through to Ortega.
His clearance went straight to Ward-Prowse who turned down the chance to lob the out-of-position Ortega. Never mind.
Seconds later, possession was gathered by Lyanco who fizzed a ball into the near post which Mara ran onto and swept brilliantly past Ortega first time.
While Jones punched the air with delight, Lyanco wheeled away with arms outstretched as if he had scored. He and Southampton had more to celebrate not long after.
After jack-in-the-box Jones was turning away in frustration at a missed passing opportunity by Ibrahima Diallo, Southampton struck again. Djenepo, as is his way, had looked as threatening as he had frustrating, tripping over his own feet on a couple of occasions, so the nature of his goal was a surprise.
He collected the ball in yards of space inside City’s half, charged goalwards unchallenged and, spotting Ortega off his line again, lofted the ball over him from 30 yards to lift the roof off St Mary’s with a moment of brilliant composure and execution.
City’s lack of offering in reply would have deeply concerned Guardiola and mass half-time changes were to be expected.
It was De Bruyne, Nathan Ake and Manuel Akanji who Guardiola opted for and the Belgian sent through Julian Alvarez to fire wide almost immediately. Haaland might well have finished that opportunity and the Norwegian was soon sent on but Southampton held on to clinch a result they and Jones will not forget for some time.
SOUTHAMPTON (4-5-1): Bazunu 8.5; LYANCO 9, Caleta-Car 8, Salisu 7.5, Walker-Peters 7.5; Djenepo 8 (Perraud 57min, 7); Diallo 8, Lavia 8 (Elyounoussi 61, 7.5), Ward-Prowse 7.5, A Armstrong 7.5 (Orsic 83); Mara 8.5 (Adams 62, 7). Scorers: Mara 23, Djenepo 29. Booked: Lavia, Diallo.
Manager: Nathan Jones 9.
MANCHESTER CITY (4-2-3-1): Ortega 5; Cancelo 6, Walker 5.5 (Akanji 46, 6), Laporte 6, Gomez 5.5 (Ake 46, 6); Phillips 5.5 (Rodri 63, 6), Gundogan 6; Palmer 5
(De Bruyne 46, 6), Foden 5.5, Grealish 6 (Haaland 56, 6); Alvarez 5.5. Booked: None. Manager: Pep Guardiola 5.
Referee: Peter Bankes 8.
Attendance: 22,996.