Sky Blue News: Asleep at St. Mary’s, City Crash Out, Player Ratings, and More...

Manchester City looked lost on the seaside. Southampton sent City crashing out of the Carabao Cup by a score of 2-0. Sky Blue News is here with a look at how it all went wrong at St. Mary’s.

OFF-COLOUR CITY BEATEN BY SAINTS - David Clayton - ManCity.com

City looked hesitant from the word go, with Southampton starting confidently.

A little like the opening period against Chelsea at Stamford Bridge, the Blues had trouble imposing their game on the side that sits bottom of the Premier League, allowing the hosts’ belief to grow as the minutes passed.

And the laboured start from Pep Guardiola’s men finally proved costly when Southampton struck twice in the space of five minutes midway through the opening period.

A number of loose passes preceded a break down the right by Southampton that ended with Sékou Mara meeting a low cross with a crisp drive past Stefan Ortega.

And five minutes later Moussa Djenepo burst forward, spotted Ortega off his line, and sent a 25-yard chip sailing over his head into the net.

Quick Match Recap: Manchester City 0-2 Southampton - Saul Garcia - Bitter and Blue

A sloppy match it made for as City could not get anything going, even after the inclusion of all the regulars.

One where City was in control with possession and chances created. They played a better second half but many questions have to be answered about players like Kyle Walker, Joao Cancelo, Sergio Gomez and Kalvin Phillips.

City had so many players who played okay after inclusion and despite the loss showed merit.

Two of note were Nathan Ake and Julian Alvarez who at least put a brave shift and were energetic all throughout.

The story of the night is that City los and are eliminated from the League Cup.

It’s a bad loss and one less competition to win this campaign.

Southampton stun Manchester City to advance to semi-finals of EFL Cup - Matt Law - Sports Mole

The away side’s first real chance of the match came in the sixth minute when Cole Palmer broke towards the edge of the Southampton box before feeding Ilkay Gundogan, but the midfielder swept his effort wide of the post.

Duje Caleta-Car then came close for Southampton, with the defender attempting to pick out the bottom corner from the edge of the box, only to be denied by a smart save from Stefan Ortega.

Mara was next to try his luck for the home side, as he turned and fired wide of the Man City goal in the 21st minute, with the visitors struggling to find their rhythm.

Southampton made the breakthrough in the 23rd minute of the contest when Mara expertly picked out the back of the net with a clever finish after excellent work from Lyanco, who had read a loose pass before driving down the right and delivering a low cross.

Pep Guardiola ‘had feeling’ Man City performance vs Southampton was coming - Joe Bray - Manchester Evening News

City were well-beaten at Southampton as a mixed team of fringe players and first-team regulars were disjointed from the start and failed to deal with the hosts’ high press. After conceding two first-half goals, Guardiola looked to key men De Bruyne and Haaland, who he had named on the bench, for second-half changes.

De Bruyne was part of a half-time triple substitution, while Haaland followed ten minutes later, but neither could help the Blues get back into a game that saw Southampton deservedly march on into the semi-finals.

Guardiola congratulated Saints at full-time, and said that even with De Bruyne or Haaland in the starting line=up, he felt that City were ‘not ready’ to compete to win the game.

“People say we didn’t fight, it’s not about that,” the manager said. “It’s because we were not prepared to get in this competition to play the semi-finals, we were not ready.

“Mainly these guys have done these years and three days ago vs Chelsea, we have to be prepared every single game when you play for Manchester City. Today we were not.

Pep Guardiola delivers strong Southampton verdict and admits Manchester United concern - Harry Winters - City Xtra

Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola has stated that his players “didn’t deserve” to beat Southampton as he revealed his concern ahead of Saturday’s Manchester Derby at Old Trafford.

An abject Manchester City crashed out of the Carabao Cup on Wednesday night, losing 2-0 to Southampton, who currently sit bottom of the Premier League table.

First half goals from Sekou Mara and Moussa Djenepo proved fatal blows to the Blues’ League Cup hopes, as City crashed out of the competition for a second successive season.

Guardiola’s side failed to register a single shot on target at St Mary’s despite the introduction of Kevin De Bruyne and Erling Haaland.

Wednesday’s loss isn’t the Premier League champions’ first disappointing display of the season, with City having recently drawn to Everton and lost to Brentford in the Premier League.

Post-match, Guardiola delivered a defiant reaction, accepting that his side “didn’t play good” and admitting his concern about Saturday’s trip to Old Trafford.

“If we perform in this way, we don’t have a chance,” said the Catalan.

United, who themselves progressed in Carabao Cup on Tuesday night, have won their last eight matches in all competitions.

Man City player ratings gallery vs Southampton - 2/10 & 3/10 handed out with five scoring 4/10 in 2-0 loss - Michael Plant - Manchester World

It was a disappointing start for City on the south coast, with Stefan Ortega Moreno being called into action after seven minutes when he got a fingertip to Lycano’s shot and managed to poke it for a corner, while Sekou Mara fired wide in the 21st minute.

But the Southampton striker fared better with his next opportunity and blasted an excellent effort into the back of City’s net after he connected perfectly with Lycano’s drilled cross at the edge of the area.

And soon after it was 2-0. Moussa Djenepo picked up the ball from deep, drove forward and from around 25 yards out scored with an excellent strike. The winger noticed Ortega Moreno pushing forward and hit a high looping shot that arced over the City keeper and landed in the back of the German’s net.

As for the visitors, in a lacklustre opening 45 they only produced half chances via Ilkay Gundogan’s shot which fizzed wide, while Cole Palmer and Jack Grealish had efforts inside the box blocked.

And finally... A little something that might make you smile after all this negativity.

INSIDE CITY 418 | TWO CHELSEA WINS AND HIPPO OR CROCODILE DEBATE - ManCity.com

Riyad Mahrez’s close-range proved the difference at Stamford Bridge in a hard-fought encounter.

It was straight back up to the City Football Academy the following day, with Chelsea once again our opponents in the FA Cup third round.

However, alongside the players putting in the hard yards on the pitch, an intense debate began between Rodrigo and his team-mates about whether they would rather swim with a hippo or a crocodile!

But attentions were back towards Chelsea soon after, and the work put in on the training pitch certainly paid off with a Mahrez brace, plus further strikes from Julian Alvarez and Phil Foden sealing a convincing 4-0 win.

There you have it Cityzens. Let’s put that one behind us and focus on the upcoming Manchester Derby at Old Trafford at the weekend. Stay with Bitter and Blue for all the latest.