It must have felt peculiar at full time for Manchester City, as they left the pitch without the full complement of points in a Premier League game for the first time since October. They failed to extend their winning run to 13 matches but they avoided defeat after Aymeric Laporte headed in a second-half equaliser to open up a 12-point advantage over second-placed Liverpool, who have two games in hand.
Pep Guardiola bristles at suggestions that City have a fourth title in five seasons all but secured and Southampton, who proved challenging opponents, provided the perfect evidence that it may not be a stroll to the finish line after all.
