Football

Southampton 0-0 Man City, Premier League: Ruben Dias Fumes At Saints After Drab Draw

The hosts managed only two shots and none on target during a bore fest at St Mary's Stadium, in a game where they had just 28.7 per cent possession

Southampton-Vs-Manchester City
Ruben Dias in action versus Southampton
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Ruben Dias accused Southampton of not trying to play in a frustrated rant after Manchester City's turgid goalless draw on Saturday. (More Football News)

The Saints managed only two shots and none on target during a bore fest at St Mary's Stadium, in a game where they had just 28.7 per cent possession.

Moreover, the ball was only in play for 58:09 of the 99:35 match time, as a deep defensive block frustrated the superstars of City.

Simon Rusk's side had only seven touches in the opposition box compared to City's 69 and were out-passed 640 to 258.

Dias told Sky Sports: "In a moment like this, every point matters and it바카라™s obviously frustrating to play against a team like this.

"They don바카라™t even try anything, they just sit and don바카라™t even want to win the game, they just want to be there. And it바카라™s not good for the show, it바카라™s not good for themselves, it바카라™s not good for anyone. But it is what it is.

"The funny thing is we do what [Aaron] Ramsdale did once and straight away it바카라™s a yellow card, he does it 20 times and it바카라™s just play on.

"But anyway, we had our chances, we tried to get in, tried to be versatile, tried to be flexible, that바카라™s our job. But it was not easy to get in.

"We바카라™re used to this kind of adversity but normally the other team is at least trying to win, or trying to play.

"Today was quite the opposite and there was not even a sparkle of them trying to do anything. They were just sitting around. And obviously it makes it more difficult to get in."

Dias also feels the officiating did not help City's cause.

"Without being disrespectful and trying to respect the referees as much as we can, but we try and [say to the referee], 'Listen, this is just going to slow down the game. This is not what anyone wants, who is watching,'," Dias said.

"Obviously we know we바카라™re in a circumstance where we have to attack and they have to sustain, but the way they wasted time today, in some way the referee needs to help us control that time-wasting; people going down for nothing, for no reason. And it happened the whole game. It is what it is."

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