Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola came out with a surprising interview following the end of his side's 13 game Premier League winning run.
Southampton went up early against City when Kyle Walker-Peters scored in the seventh minute. Aymeric Laporte managed to salvage a draw for the table-topping City with a goal in the second half.
While their unbeaten run is still intact, this draw was the first match that City has not won in 13 matches.
"This was the best performance of the season - by far." 👀
A defiant Pep Guardiola insists he was delighted with #MCFC's performance at Southampton, despite being held to a 1-1 draw. 🔵 pic.twitter.com/eTVOThuezp— Sky Sports Premier League (@SkySportsPL) January 22, 2022
Speaking to Sky Sports after the match, Guardiola shocked his interviewer with his straight forward and surprising claim that a draw against 12th placed Southampton was City's best performance of the season.
"An outstanding game," Guardiola said. "We prepared really well, but unfortunately in the first action we concede a goal. But, we made one of the best performances of the season."
When asked if he felt it really was that good, Guardiola simply responded, "by far!"
"Against a team that defends incredibly well, makes a base on the counter attack, they are incredibly well organised," Guardiola added.
"Today was one of the best performances we have played against them. If you analyse the result, it is 1-1. After that it is not good.
"But, in terms of the performance, the managers have the duty to see how we played, and that was excellent."
Guardiola suggested that the Premier League will not always go the way one would expect it to go, and that even the ebst performances might not get a win.
"We played better [than we did], for example, in the Arsenal game, and we won," Guardiola said. "Today we draw. Sometimes football, in the Premier League... you deserve it, sometimes not.
"That is why when you finish on top it is because you deserve it. It is not a knockout stage like the Carabao Cup, FA Cup, Champions League, or Europa League."
"It is football, sometimes you miss," Guardiola added.
That is sensational. 🔥
Kyle Walker-Peters grabs his first goal of the season in some style as Southampton stun Manchester City! 😇 pic.twitter.com/fqHJ0Qv3Dk— Sky Sports Premier League (@SkySportsPL) January 22, 2022
Southampton were 'brilliant'
Southampton are sitting at 12th on the Premier League standings, having won just five matches this season, drawing 10 and losing seven.
In spite of their record, Guardiola praised Southampton for their 'brilliant' play.
"They are a really good team," Guardiola said "Well organised in 4-4-2, they are [good with] long balls, and the pace in their counter attack.
"They have a good build-up and were brilliant in many things today."
The draw ends City's long-running win streak in the Premier League. While some might believe that the unexpected draw will stifle their confidence, Guardiola asked why that question would even be asked.
"Why should we lose the belief, what we have done?" Guardiola said. "We are going to drop points. In football, you lose many, many games.
"The way we behaved was good and now we have two weeks to prepare for the next game. We are going to prepare and continue.
"Premier League is so difficult. Now the positive thing is that people are going to say that the race is not over, and that is good for our side.
"The race is not over and it was not over two weeks ago. It will not be over in three weeks. Now, we continue to the nxt game against Brentford."
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