MANCHESTER, England (AP) – Manchester City failed to win for a fifth successive game in all competitions on Sunday, only avoiding a loss to Southampton when Kelechi Iheanacho produced a second-half equalizer.
Although Pep Guardiola is enduring a five-game winless run for the first time since his debut campaign in charge of Barcelona in 2008-09, City is top of the Premier League on goal difference.
A mistake by City defender John Stones presented Nathan Redmond with the opener in the 27th minute at home. Substitute Iheanacho equalized 10 minutes into the second half with City’s first shot on target but the hosts could not find the winner.
City could feel hard done by after dominating possession, particularly in the second half, and having a Stones goal ruled out for offside. Yet after opening the season with 10 successive wins, the intensity does seem to have dropped temporarily.
After Wednesday’s loss at Barcelona in the Champions League, City’s players needed to make a statement in response but they could not rouse themselves enough after a subdued first-half performance.