Saints 1-1 Manchester City
Dani Osvaldo celebrates his spectacular equaliser against Manchester City
It’s never going to be easy when you’re without such key players as Boruc, Clyne, Schneiderlin and Wanyama, but at least the hapless Yoshida was also missing as Saints took on Manchester City.
Indeed, there were fears that the reshaped team would be found wanting in their bid to avoid a fourth straight defeat as he visitors punished a poor defensive header by Fonte and some statuesque defending by quite a few of his colleagues with a tenth minute goal converted by Aguero.
However, things really did get better from then on, and the unlikely figure of Chambers ought to have restored parity when he got on the end of Shaw’s cross but couldn’t direct his header on target.
We didn’t have to wait much longer for the equaliser, though, and recent form suggests Osvaldo was another unexpected scorer – but what a goal it was from him, with a perfectly placed chip into the top corner beating the league’s biggest physical obstacle in the shape of Pantilimion.
He was also eventually on the end of the next clear opportunity for the home side after a slightly heavy touch at pace by Rodriguez allowed Pantilimion to make a block; Osvaldo was off target with this time only goal-line defenders to beat.
Gazzaniga would have been pleased to see a couple of efforts fly narrowly wide of his goal, but even more grateful for a save that went some way towards re-establishing his credentials as a Premier League stopper.
It was Saints who could have won it though, with Osvaldo again firing wide and a number of our players, with Fonte prominent, denied by Kompany’s touch as they sought to get on the end of Ward-Prowse’s free kick. Lambert, Ramirez and Premier League debutant Reed all made appearances towards the end of a game that was a tribute to the efforts of our lower ranked squad players.
LSSC Man of the Match: Jack Cork, who had also given every indication against Aston Villa as well that he is determined to make the most of the opportunities that come his way.
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