Salisu-inspired Southampton end Man City's 12-game winning run - Player ratings and reaction

When Manchester City embark on one of those winning runs that span months on end, it often feels as though it will last forever, such is the relentlessness with which Pep Guardiola’s side play. Of course, it never does work out that way, not even City are completely without fault. On this occasion, it was Southampton who gave hope to the rest, led by the immaculate Mohammed Salisu in defence.

In order to stop Manchester City in this form, an opposing team needs everything to go their way and must rely upon some unforeseen events taking place. Unforeseen events like a right-back scoring their first-ever Premier League goal in their 67th appearance in the competition.

While Kyle Walker-Peters is regarded as an attack-minded full-back his only career goals prior to Saturday evening had come in brutal thumpings of Rochdale and Newport County in domestic cups. His third career goal came against far grander opponents and a wonderfully executed outside-of-the-boot finish that swerved into the far corner was certainly fitting of the occasion.

Southampton had the ball in the net for a second time not long after, when Chelsea-owned man-child Armando Broja steered a smart finish beyond Ederson, only for the offside flag to correctly come to City’s rescue. Broja was making a nuisance of himself and had he timed his run better would have surely earned his side a penalty after being sent flying by Ederson’s meaty right paw.

As well as Southampton were playing, City’s quality meant that a potential equaliser was always a distinct possibility. Raheem Sterling should have levelled up before half-time, but his casual finish from Phil Foden’s low cross was blocked by the giant frame of Fraser Forster.

Plenty of clubs in Southampton’s position would have used the second half as a defence vs attack exercise, but Ralph Hasenhuttl’s side are wired differently. They attacked their opponents after the restart with Broja forcing Ederson into a crucial save as he raced through on goal before hitting the post from a corner, with Jan Bednarek lashing the rebound wild as the goal yawned in front of him.

City began to up the tempo in search of a route back into the game with Foden stinging Forster’s palms with a venomous volley and a bending Rodri effort from range kissing the crossbar as it flew over. When the goal did come it was via another defender, albeit one with a better track record for such activities than Walker-Peters. Kevin De Bruyne’s free-kick found Aymeric Laporte at the back post and he nodded in his third of the campaign.

From that point onwards, it was one-way traffic, with Southampton’s goal living a charmed life. De Bruyne left the post shuddering with a trademark curler from distance and Gabriel Jesus was denied by the same one with a header. Next, it was VAR’s turn to hand Southampton a reprieve, as a foul on De Bruyne was ruled to have taken place just outside the penalty area.

An absolute colossus at the back. This was a magnificent collective effort from Ralph Hasenhuttl’s side but even so Salisu stood out by a country mile. Time and again, the Ghanaian got in the way of a shot, made a vital tackle or booted the ball away to safety. Southampton fans serenaded the centre-back as the game ticked towards its conclusion.

Salisu made a match-leading 14 clearances, seven tackles, five blocks and four interceptions. How Ghana could have benefited from his qualities at the Africa Cup of Nations.

Hasenhuttl: Grealish was waiting for Romeu in the tunnel | Guardiola: It was one of our best performances of the season

Hasenhuttl revealed that Jack Grealish was unhappy with Southampton midfield Oriol Romeu and waited behind in the tunnel to have a word with him after the game.

“They had a discussion with Ori because Grealish was waiting for him in the tunnel because of a few things that happened outside on the pitch,” the Saints boss revealed. “It was not right, but it’s not here for the cameras. They spoke it and everything [is] good.”

Walker-Peters, meanwhile was delighted to register his first Premier League goal. “I think it was Dias who was coming to press me, so I’m almost stretching as a finish and I used the outside of my foot because that’s where the ball bounced for me,” he said.

“You can’t describe it [scoring first Premier League goal]. A great feeling and really nice to be at home with the fans. Against one of the top teams in the world, you always want to try to compete against them and I think we did today and I’m really happy to get the goal.”

Despite City’s run coming to an end, Guardiola was adamant that his side had delivered one their best displays of the campaign after enjoying 74 per cent possession and having 20 efforts on goal.

“It was an outstanding game, we played really well,” Guardiola said. “Unfortunately, in the first action we conceded a goal but we made one of the best performances of the season.”

When Sky Sports reporter Patrick Davison responded “really? that good?” a disgruntled looking Guardiola shot back “by far.”

He went on: “Against that team that defends incredibly well, that has pace in the counter-attack, that is incredibly organised, we suffered all the time. Today was one of the best performances we have played against them.

“You analyse the result that’s 1-1, ok that’s not so good but in terms of the performance that we have a duty as managers to see how we play and how we behave, it was excellent.”