What Bernardo Silva did at full time speaks volumes in strange Man City win over Southampton

Pass, pass, pass.

The ball was knocked about like an exhibition as the opposition team ran around as so many do at the Etihad increasingly frustrated as they couldn't get the ball. Except it was Southampton here who had possession and however annoyed Phil Foden may have been at his Manchester City teammates for not pressing as intensely as he was the home team were 1-0 up with the visitors pinned in their own third.

Pep Guardiola had spoke at length about deep defences after the Wolves game, explaining how difficult it is to break down a team of 11 players in their own penalty area. In midweek against Sparta Prague when they were 3-0 up, Manu Akanji kept the ball deliberately near Ederson to bait a press before setting the wheels in motion for a wonderful fourth goal.

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This was different again and much weirder. Southampton were knocking the ball about confidently but doing it all without ever progressing into the City half.

It made for an odd spectacle, with City obviously intent on getting the ball back but also content that they were so far from Ederson's goal. They had also scored another early goal, with Matheus Nunes - making his first league start of the season - crossing for Erling Haaland, who held off Jan Bednarek and expertly turned in on the half-volley.

Despite six players out injured, City simply picked up where they had left off in the rout of Sparta Prague and from then on engaged in an unusual game of cat and mouse. City waited for a mistake or an interception as Southampton bided their time for an opening.

That game was in City's favour given how the