Their last two matches against teams with CL ambitions, both away, demonstrate what they are capable of. Of course they would never dare to play like this vs City. The other thing I was thinking following our match against them was if we would ever witness that extreme physicality again, and provided we would, whether it would remain unpunished. I guess we all know the answers to both questions. But it's OK, City has learnt to live with such stuff...
Other than that, the only thing the Saints missed today was maintaining the intensity for longer spells of the game. Which showed in their decision making, especially in critical moments. On another day, Armstrong or / and Broja decide the match. But they had played an extremely demanding match in London on Wednesday. You cannot expect Southampton to respond to tight schedules like City does...
Haesenhuttl has done a fantastic job working consistently on specific patterns and ideas. Amazing chemistry, exceptional off ball movement. Allowing them to create and exploit spaces with numerical advantage. In the final stages of the match United gambled with two strikers, practically in a 4-2-4. Haesenhuttl didn't give a fuck. That's how much he trusts his structure, and, as I said, he was facing United and Tottenham, not City. Still, it's admirable...
The table suggests that a team like Wolves, for example, holding the third worse attacking record, is better. My vote goes to Southampton and their football every day of the week and twice on Sunday. An easy choice to make. The Austrian is one of the best managers in the league...