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Aymeric Laporte levelled for the league leaders in the 65th minuteSouthampton held on for a well-earned draw at St Mary's to end Manchester City's 12-game winning run in the Premier League, with the leaders edging 12 points clear at the top.
Kyle Walker-Peters scored a superb seventh-minute opener following a neat a one-two with Nathan Redmond, touching the ball into his path before firing beyond Ederson on the bounce.
But Kevin de Bruyne curled a free-kick onto the head of Aymeric Laporte and the unmarked defender nodded past Fraser Forster to level with 25 minutes remaining.
De Bruyne hit the post moments later while Rodri and Gabriel Jesus also struck the woodwork. Forster denied Raheem Sterling too with his legs at close range from a glorious chance in the first half.
It gives a flicker of hope to Liverpool and Chelsea in the title race, with both teams having a chance to make up ground when they play on Sunday.
The second-placed Reds, who have two games in hand, visit Crystal Palace while Chelsea, in third, host Tottenham.
Southampton, who are now unbeaten in eight games at home in the top flight, sit 12th in the table.
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Saints prove City's stumbling block
Kyle Walker-Peters scored his first Premier League goal for SouthamptonSouthampton have made St Mary's a tricky place to visit this season, losing just one game on their own patch and stretching their unbeaten run at home to eight games.
Guardiola recognised that beforehand, saying his side faced an "incredible challenge", and it became even more difficult when the Saints opened the scoring.
It was a goal City themselves would have been proud of, with Oriol Romeu spreading play to the right and Walker-Peters engineering a neat exchange with Redmond before lashing the bouncing ball into the far corner to net his first in the Premier League on his 68th appearance.
Armando Broja also finished smartly when played through soon after and, although the Chelsea loanee had strayed offside on that occasion, he continued to be a threat, heading against the post in the second half from a tight angle.
Boss Ralph Hasenhuttl called on his side to "be brave with the ball" and "not park the bus", with the hosts taking confidence from a goalless draw in the reverse fixture earlier in the season.
They were forced to drop deeper to counter the growing City threat, though, and when Laporte headed in the equaliser, it felt like an inevitable City winner was coming.
City mustered 15 shots in the second half as they pushed for a 13th successive win, but with home defender Mohammed Salisu in defiant form and 33-year-old goalkeeper Forster making several fine stops, the home side showed resilience to earn a point.
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Southampton
Squad number44Player nameForster
Squad number2Player nameWalker-Peters
Squad number35Player nameBednarek- Squad number22Player nameSalisu
- Squad number15Player namePerraud
Squad number11Player nameRedmond
Squad number8Player nameWard-Prowse
Squad number6Player nameOriol Romeu- Squad number17Player nameS Armstrong
- Squad number18Player nameBroja
- Squad number10Player nameAdams
- Squad number4Player nameLyanco
- Squad number24Player nameElyounoussi
- Squad number27Player nameDiallo
Manchester City
Squad number31Player nameEderson
Squad number2Player nameWalker- Squad number3Player nameRúben Dias
Squad number14Player nameLaporte- Squad number27Player nameJoão Cancelo
Squad number20Player nameBernardo Silva- Squad number16Player nameRodri
Squad number17Player nameDe Bruyne
Squad number7Player nameSterling- Squad number10Player nameGrealish
Squad number47Player nameFoden
Squad number9Player nameGabriel Jesus
Line-ups
Southampton
Formation 4-4-2
- 44Forster
- 2Walker-Peters
- 35BednarekBooked at 33minsSubstituted forLyancoat 71'minutes
- 22Salisu
- 15Perraud
- 11RedmondSubstituted forElyounoussiat 45'minutesBooked at 90mins
- 8Ward-Prowse
- 6Romeu
- 17S ArmstrongBooked at 79minsSubstituted forDialloat 82'minutes
- 18Broja
- 10Adams
Substitutes
- 4Lyanco
- 5Stephens
- 7Long
- 9A Armstrong
- 13Caballero
- 24Elyounoussi
- 27Diallo
- 32Walcott
- 43Valery
Man City
Formation 4-3-3
- 31Ederson
- 2Walker
- 3Rúben Dias
- 14Laporte
- 27Cancelo
- 20Bernardo Silva
- 16Rodri
- 17De Bruyne
- 7SterlingSubstituted forGabriel Jesusat 60'minutes
- 10Grealish
- 47Foden
Substitutes
- 5Stones
- 6Aké
- 8Gündogan
- 9Gabriel Jesus
- 25Fernandinho
- 33Carson
- 84Slicker
- 87McAtee
- 97Wilson-Esbrand
Live Text
Match ends, Southampton 1, Manchester City 1.
Second Half ends, Southampton 1, Manchester City 1.
Corner, Manchester City. Conceded by Fraser Forster.
Attempt saved. Kevin De Bruyne (Manchester City) right footed shot from a difficult angle on the right is saved in the bottom right corner.
Hand ball by Rodri (Manchester City).
Mohamed Elyounoussi (Southampton) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.
Kevin De Bruyne (Manchester City) wins a free kick on the right wing.
Foul by Mohamed Elyounoussi (Southampton).
Rúben Dias (Manchester City) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Foul by Armando Broja (Southampton).
Attempt missed. Kevin De Bruyne (Manchester City) right footed shot from outside the box is close, but misses to the right. Assisted by Jack Grealish following a corner.
Corner, Manchester City. Conceded by Lyanco.
Attempt blocked. Jack Grealish (Manchester City) right footed shot from the centre of the box is blocked. Assisted by Bernardo Silva with a cross.
Attempt saved. Ibrahima Diallo (Southampton) left footed shot from outside the box is saved in the centre of the goal.
Substitution, Southampton. Ibrahima Diallo replaces Stuart Armstrong.
VAR Decision: No card change Stuart Armstrong (Southampton).
Stuart Armstrong (Southampton) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.
Aymeric Laporte (Manchester City) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Foul by Stuart Armstrong (Southampton).
Foul by Rúben Dias (Manchester City).
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