“It is irritating to play towards a workforce like them,” Manchester Metropolis centre-back Ruben Dias moaned within the aftermath of the 0-0 draw with already relegated Southampton.
“They do not even attempt to play, simply losing time the entire recreation. I do not even really feel like they wish to play the sport or win the sport. They’re simply sitting round. We tried each means. We had possibilities, however we did not rating. It’s what it’s.”
One easy take a look at the statistics and a few may come to the identical conclusion as Dias. However others will interpret the 27-year-old’s feedback as nothing greater than bitter grapes from a participant irritated by the now dethroned Premier League champions’ incapacity to carve out many clear-cut possibilities at St Mary’s.
Metropolis had 26 photographs on objective on the south coast however simply 5 of these required a save from Aaron Ramsdale. Apparently, none of these efforts had been deemed to be a ‘massive probability’ by the statistic gurus who govern the fashionable recreation, suggesting the 573 correct passes from Pep Guardiola’s aspect weren’t all that spectacular.
Southampton, who’re swiftly returning to the Championship after only a single yr again within the high flight, determined they would not be irked by Dias’ feedback, moderately they might take the very 2025 method of mocking the Portuguese on TikTok.
A montage of Metropolis overhitting numerous crosses was edited into a brief video, following on from Dias’ moderately unwise post-match interview rant, and was accompanied by the caption: “Guess neither of us wished to play.”
It’s a must to say, it is unbelievable work from an official membership account.
— TF (@TFTBLMEDIA) Might 11, 2025
“They [Southampton] can do no matter they need,” Pep Guardiola remarked in his personal post-match feedback when knowledgeable of Dias’ frustration.
“It’s a must to break it and we had the possibilities. Once you evaluation the possibilities, we couldn’t rating and it occurred. Now we put together the ultimate and now it’s subsequent time and Fulham.
“We didn’t concede one shot on track they usually did not do a lot, however we’ve got to just accept the best way they play, it belongs to Simon [Rusk] and his assistant coaches. I do not agree with Ruben, we’ve got to just accept it.”
For Southampton, the purpose was a uncommon vivid spot of what is been a desperately disappointing season. The opposite piece of excellent information for the Saints was that they will now not be part of Derby County because the Premier League’s lowest-ever factors scorers – their twelfth, courtesy of a sixth draw of the season along with two dwelling wins, sufficient to scrape previous the Rams’ notorious 11-point haul throughout 2007/08.
