Pep Guardiola fears his Manchester City side may have to forget about catching Liverpool while their striker crisis continues.
Raheem Sterling netted to sink Southampton. But with Sergio Aguero an unused sub and Gabriel Jesus not available due to a “condition with his teeth”, Guardiola fielded a side without a recognised striker.
Asked whether his men could land a blow on Jurgen Klopp’s Reds, he said: “Right now I don’t know.
“Our momentum up front is not good. We cannot expect in this situation to play much better than the team in third.
“When we created chances we couldn’t score. When that happens always you are going to suffer.
“That’s why I’m not able to say how our season will be. The important thing is game by game – now we go to London, play Arsenal and after that three games against Newcastle, Everton and Chelsea.
“It’s not a lack of rhythm – it’s a lack of momentum to score goals. They make good situations, it’s not rhythm, it’s momentum. Goals are something special, it’s a touch and a flow and now we don’t have it. At the same time we will get closer to it by winning games and that’s why today was so important.
“It’s not a lack of rhythm to be without our strikers. It’s a lack of momentum to score goals. They make good situations, it’s not rhythm, it’s momentum.
“Goals is something special, it’s a touch and a flow and now we don’t have it. At the same time we will get closer to it by winning games and that’s why today was so important.”
Asked about Jesus, Guardiola added: “I don’t think it’s serious. He trained on Friday and didn’t feel good about his teeth and he said no. He couldn’t come.”
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