Ruben Dias Blames ‘Dry Pitch’ and Time-Wasting in Furious Rant After Man City’s Shock Draw With Relegated Southampton

Manchester City defender Ruben Dias didn’t hold back after his team’s surprising 0-0 draw against already-relegated Southampton. The Portuguese star gave an emotional interview, blaming the pitch, hot weather, and Southampton’s tactics for the disappointing result.

City travelled to St. Mary’s on Saturday expecting an easy win. A victory would have brought them level on points with Arsenal, who are second in the Premier League. But instead, they struggled to break down a determined Southampton side.

Despite having 71% of the ball and taking 26 shots, Pep Guardiola’s men couldn’t find the net. Southampton, with only two shots the entire match, sat deep and defended in numbers. The draw means City missed a big chance to boost their hopes of finishing in the top four, and it’s a worrying sign ahead of their FA Cup final against Crystal Palace next weekend.

After the match, Ruben Dias gave a frustrated interview to BBC Radio Manchester, where he strongly criticised both the playing conditions and Southampton’s approach.

“We tried, but we must be better, quicker, and more dynamic,” Dias said. “But it wasn’t easy because the pitch was dry, the sun was out, and it was hot. Still, we need to do more.”

Dias also took aim at Southampton’s style of play. “It’s frustrating to play against a team like this,” he said. “They didn’t even try to win. They just sat back and wasted time. It’s bad for the game, bad for the fans, and bad for everyone involved.”

He continued by saying that Southampton players were falling to the ground constantly just to slow the game down. “It kills the rhythm,” he said. “We’ve seen teams do this before, but usually they still try to attack a little. Today, it was nothing — just sitting back and waiting.”

Dias even brought up an issue with the referees. “If we do what Aaron Ramsdale once did, it’s a yellow card straight away. But when they do it over and over, nothing happens. It slows everything down and gives them the advantage.”

The result may not mean much to Southampton’s future in the league — they are already going down — but the draw gave them 12 points, just enough to avoid being the worst team in Premier League history. That unwanted title still belongs to Derby County, who finished the 2007/08 season with only 11 points.

For City, the draw was a blow in a season where every point counts. Dias’ angry comments showed just how disappointed and frustrated the players were after such a poor result.

As the season nears its end, City now have to quickly recover and focus on the FA Cup final. But with results like this, questions will be asked about whether they’re ready.