Philippa Kaur

BRIGHTON kept their European hopes alive with a hard-fought 2-0 win over Wolves at Molineux.Danny Welbeck and Brajan Gruda bagged a goal in each half as the Seagulls moved level on points with Brentford in eighth.Danny Welbeck opened the scoring from a spot-kick inside half-an-hourBrajan Gruda was overcome with emotion after doubling his side’s lead late onTHIS IS A DEVELOPING STORY..The Sun is your go to destination for the best football, boxing and MMA news, real-life stories, jaw-dropping pictures and must-see video.Like us on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/TheSunFootball and follow us from our main Twitter account at @TheSunFootball. More

THIS may have been Manchester City’s most embarrassing day amid a desperate season.Held by one of the worst teams in Premier League history, Pep Guardiola tucked up by Southampton’s third manager of the season.Southampton scrapped and scraped their way to a point against Manchester CityCredit: PASimon Rusk is someone even Saints fans would struggle to recognise on the street – but Guardiola will not forget him in a hurry now.The most unexpected of points for already-relegated Saints finally takes them clear of Derby County’s all-time low record.They are up to the heady heights of 12 points from 36 games.Guardiola had admitted that this had already been his most challenging season as a manager, and this would have made it all the more infuriating.City arrived unbeaten since the March international break, looking back to themselves and with an FA Cup final ready to seize next weekend.What horrendous preparation this was – their resurgence foiled by a defence which has shipped 82 goals this season.City were lacking – of course they were – but the Saints rear-guard, Jan Bednarek, Jack Stephens and Taylor Harwood-Bellis, deserve huge praise.Those ahead of them hardly left their half while Aaron Ramsdale was equal to everything thrown his way.Most read in FootballCASINO SPECIAL – BEST CASINO BONUSES FROM £10 DEPOSITSThey stuck to an almighty, sapping task and managed to drag Guardiola’s men down to their desperate level.Erling Haaland, who returned after six weeks injured but made little impact, had called for more hunger – but the only ones showing it were in red and white.These WILD Liverpool stats spell Arsenal disaster | Experts’ best betsCity were frustrated throughout a first half which had all the intensity of Soccer Aid.Saints effectively laid out two banks of five, and Guardiola’s men could not get through.After half an hour, they had just one shot off target to show for their effort.Southampton had a clear plan and were sticking to it, even their short spells on the ball rarely resulted in a red and white shirt crossing the halfway line.Kamaldeen Sulemana, the lone forward, had one foray forwards before Mateus Fernandes tried the same – to huge cheers from the stands.With ten Saints shirts parked within 20 yards of their own goal, Kevin De Bruyne, Phil Foden and Bernardo Silva were reduced to sideways passes.City’s only real chances came from set pieces on the edge of the Saints box.De Bruyne put one just over the bar before the second, on the brink of half-time, went straight into the wall.City’s irritation was evident at the break as De Bruyne and Silva ranted towards referee Tim Robinson over Lesley Ugochukwu, on a booking, blocking a quick free-kick.Their protests for a second booking were ignored, but Rusk took note and replaced him at the break.Guardiola made a change, too. Jeremy Doku was sent on for James McAtee in a bid to add some pace to the City attack.But still they toiled as the minutes ticked by, reaching the hour mark looking no closer to an opener and with Haaland still on the periphery.The Norwegian flung himself at a Foden free-kick as it whistled through the six-yard box but did not connect.Saints had looked to move forward on a couple of occasions, daring to leave their posts. Tyler Dibling moved into City’s final third and beat Josko Gvardiol, only to bizarrely have a free-kick given against him.But then it was back to defending, Jack Stephens in the perfect spot to hook Silva’s shot over the bar when Ramsdale was beaten.Rusk decided to see how far he could push this and sent on a striker, Cameron Archer replacing Dibling.Within seconds the hosts nearly had an opener with Ruben Dias having to block Fernandes’ strike.That, for the first time, gave City the chance to counter but still they fell short. Doku did everything right, breaking away and squaring for Haaland – who was one-on-one but smothered by Ramsdale.Southampton fans were increasingly finding their voice – also perhaps wondering why this tactic had not been adopted back in November.There would still have been a lingering expectation that this would soon collapse, City would get one and then another and so on.But the goal never arrived.Savinho and Nico O’Reilly were called upon, but still Saints did not blink at the back.When the visitors did find a gap, they could not capitalise.Haaland found space with the ball at his feet for the first time all afternoon, broke in behind and squared for O’Reilly, but he could not meet the ball and ended up flat on the floor.Ramsdale stood up to everything which came his way, tipping an awkward Savinho effort behind before impressively stretching to deny Dias with seven minutes to go.De Bruyne had a pop too – though fired straight at the England keeper, who was rewarded with a slice of luck when substitute Omar Marmoush struck the bar in injury time.Everything felt like it was on Southampton’s side, and they almost won it with a minute to go, Archer denied by Ederson at the near post.The time was flying by for City, corner after corner and attack after attack resulting in nothing.Read More on The SunWelington, on just his fourth Premier League start was immense and Ramsdale stood up to everything.City were surging closer and closer to the Southampton goalmouth, but never crossed the line.THIS IS A DEVELOPING STORY..The Sun is your go to destination for the best football, boxing and MMA news, real-life stories, jaw-dropping pictures and must-see video.Like us on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/TheSunFootball and follow us from our main Twitter account at @TheSunFootball. 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KEVIN SCHADE’S early goal proved just enough to keep Brentford dreaming of Europe.The Bees are one of a cluster of clubs vying for an eighth-place finish – and hoping that will be enough for a Europa Conference League jaunt next term.Bryan Mbeumo hails Brentford team-mate Kevin Schade for his openerCredit: AlamyBees winger Schade leaps to nod the breakthroughCredit: PAIpswich keeper Alex Palmer and defenders couldn’t keep Schade’s header outCredit: PAGermany striker Schade celebrated his 11th Premier League goal of the season and it turned out to be just enough to settle a feisty encounter at already-relegated Ipswich.Town fans vented their fury at Sam Barrott for the events leading up to Schade’s 18th-minute opener.They reckoned the referee had decided to keep letting Brentford take a corner until they scored.The reality was a that Barrott was placed in an impossible position as players from both sides grappled like wrestlers.READ MORE IN FOOTBALLThe first of three flag-kicks could easily have seen Brentford awarded a penalty.Jacob Greaves rugby-tackled Sepp van den Berg to the ground but a lengthy VAR inquest said no pen, presumably because the ball wasn’t actually in play yet.The second saw Town’s Jack Taylor and Christian Norgaard booked for more MMA-style man-handlng.And the third saw Schade brilliantly head home Bryan Mbeumo’s delivery.Most read in FootballBEST ONLINE CASINOS – TOP SITES IN THE UK”One-nil to the referee” Town fans chanted sarcastically, along with “Premier League, corrupt as f***”.There was nothing suspect about Schade’s flick however – perfectly placed in the far corner.Jack Grealish to Napoli?! Conte Plots Shock £100M Raid – Would City Really Let Him Go?It was a similar tale in the second half with VAR again ruling no pen for Axel Tuanzebe’s judo bout with Nathan Collins.The home fans were angry again soon after – this time calling FOR video assistant intervention.Yoann Wissa’s high boot caught Greaves on the head after Alex Palmer made a fine block to deny Mbeumo. The Bees man’s booking remained a yellow however.Greaves felt aggrieved at the other end when Yehor Yarmoliuk appeared to pull him down in the box but the officials disagreed.Ipswich tails were finally up and Omari Hutchinson saw a drive tipped on to a post by Mark Flekken, who then saved point-blank from Cameron Burgess in stoppage-time and saved a header from sub George Hirst.Brentford held out to shade a fixture referee Barrott will be hoping won’t be replicated any time soon. Scorer Shade is on a hot streak as Brentford hunt a European spotCredit: Getty More