Arsenal remain second on the Premier League table ahead of their trip to face champions Liverpool at Anfield on Sunday, after third-placed Manchester City played out a surprising goalless draw at relegated Southampton on Saturday.
Pep Guardiola’s side filed out at St. Mary’s Stadium knowing a win would take them level on 67 points with the Gunners as the race for Champions League spots for next season rages on in England’s top flight.
Erling Haaland was back in the starting line-up for City with Omar Marmoush settling for a place on the bench, yet the Norwegian striker’s presence was not enough for the visitors, who had 26 attempts at goal but failed to get past Southampton keeper Aaron Ramsdale.
The former Arsenal keeper saved a Josko Gvardiol header in the eighth minute while Kevin de Bruyne’s dangerous free-kick into the Saints’ box was cleared for a corner-kick by Flynn Downes two minutes later, denying Gvardiol a chance to try scoring again.
City enjoyed 80% of possession in the opening 15 minutes and continued creating scoring chances but were let down by their final ball as the Saints held on to go into the break level with their more illustrious visitors.
Bernardo Silva was inches away from breaking the deadlock for City just past the hour mark when he poked a shot towards goal after being set up by half-time subsitute, Jeremy Doku, only for Jack Stephens to clear the Portuguese midfielder’s effort off the line.
Guardiola took off Phil Foden and Rico Lewis for Savinho and Nico O’Reilly, and either of the substitutes could have scored within seconds of coming on. De Bruyne sent Haaland through on goal, with the striker squaring the ball to their path, but neither player was able to tap into an empty net as the glorious chance went begging.
Ramsdale was on hand to make a double save and deny Savinho and Dias in quick succession while another substitute, Marmoush finally beat Ramsdale in the 91st minute but was left frustrated as the shot crashed off the woodwork.
The result leaves City two points behind Arsenal and two points clear of fourth-placed Newcastle United, who host fifth-placed Chelsea – level on 63 points with the Magpies – at St. James’ Park in Sunday’s early kick-off.
For the Saints, the draw was enough to help them avoid ending the season with the lowest points tally in Premier League history (11 points) by Derby County in the 2007-08 season).
Elsewhere in the Premier League on Saturday, Kevin Schade’s 18th minute header was enough to give Brentford a 1-0 win at Ipswich Town, a result that takes the Bees up to eighth on the table with 55 points, with Brighton right behind them on goal difference in ninth after a 2-0 win at Wolverhampton Wanderers.
A goal in each half from Danny Welbeck and Brajan Gruda earned the Seagulls all three points at Molineux. Fulham missed the chance to keep up, squandering a 1-0 lead to lose 3-1 at home to Everton and remain 11th with 51 points.
Jimenez put the Cottagers ahead after 17 minutes before Vitali Mykolenko scored in first-half stoppage time to level for Everton. A quickfire double by Michael Keane and Beto in the space of three minutes to earn the Toffees a win that takes them to 13th with 42 points.