On a quiet Saturday evening at St Mary’s Stadium, where the Premier League’s top and bottom sides clashed, the story was supposed to be simple. Manchester City were meant to arrive, dominate, and walk away with three points. Southampton, clinging desperately to survival and trying to avoid setting a shameful record, were expected to roll over.
But that’s not what happened.
What the world witnessed was a 0-0 draw soaked in controversy, frustration, and a moment that will haunt Manchester City fans for weeks. A moment that could have changed the title race, could have shifted Champions League fates, and could have reminded everyone that justice in football doesn’t always come with a whistle.
The man at the centre of it all? Manuel Akanji.
And the villain? Not a player. Not a manager. But the three-letter system that was supposed to bring justice: VAR.
It was just eight minutes into the game. Kevin De Bruyne, Manchester City’s brilliant midfielder, stepped up for a free-kick. The Belgian floated the ball into the penalty area — a routine play he’s delivered hundreds of times in his career.
But this time, as the ball soared through the cold Southampton air, something happened. Manuel Akanji, City’s powerful defender, surged forward. Ready to attack the ball. Ready to rise above everyone else.
Then — contact.
A hard push from Taylor Harwood-Bellis, a former Manchester City academy product now wearing Southampton colours. Akanji went down. City players shouted. The bench jumped. Fans behind the goal screamed. Everyone saw it.
But referee Tim Robinson saw nothing wrong. No whistle. No hesitation. Play continued.
And then came the moment of hope. The VAR check.
Surely, everyone thought, the video would show the truth. Akanji was pushed. Harwood-Bellis had both arms extended. It was clear.
But no. VAR reviewed the footage and decided — unbelievably — that there was no foul. No penalty. No justice.
KEITH HACKETT UNLEASHES HIS VERDICT
It didn’t take long before someone important spoke up. Keith Hackett, the former head of the PGMOL and a former FIFA referee, had seen enough. Speaking exclusively to Football Insider, he made his opinion clear.
“Manchester City were robbed,” he said. “That was a clear penalty. Harwood-Bellis pushed Akanji. If you don’t give a penalty for that, then what are we doing?”
Hackett’s voice was calm, but the frustration boiled beneath it. This was not a man speaking with emotion. This was a man speaking with experience — a man who once led the very organisation now letting teams down.
“If you’re not going to give a penalty for that,” Hackett added, “then you need to at least book Akanji for diving. You can’t just do nothing.”
And that’s the real pain of it. Not only was the penalty not awarded, but there was also no yellow card for simulation. Akanji was treated like a ghost. Like the moment never happened. It was a push erased from history. Except that fans, pundits, and players won’t forget it anytime soon.
THE SILENCE FROM PGMOL: DEAFENING
PGMOL — the body responsible for English referees — did not release a statement. No apology. No explanation. No analysis. Just silence.
And in that silence, City fans fumed.
Because this isn’t the first time. Manchester City have been on the wrong side of several questionable VAR decisions this season. And while they’ve often managed to recover, this one could be different.
The Premier League table is tight. Every point matters. One goal in this match would have turned one point into three. And now, City might miss out on a Champions League spot by two points, or one, or even goal difference.
Imagine the fury if that happens.
DIAS EXPLODES ON SKY SPORTS
After the final whistle, Manchester City defender Ruben Dias didn’t hold back. Standing in front of the Sky Sports cameras, the Portuguese centre-back was furious.
“It’s disgraceful,” he said. “We came here to play football, but we didn’t get football. Southampton didn’t want to play. And then decisions like that… it’s hard to accept.”
He didn’t mention VAR directly, but everyone knew what he was talking about. That moment in the eighth minute. That push. That injustice.
Dias looked like a man who had been told the rules no longer mattered. And maybe, on that cold Southampton evening, they didn’t.
SOUTHAMPTON’S GREAT ESCAPE (SORT OF)
For Southampton, the 0-0 draw wasn’t just a surprise — it was a small miracle. They were bottom of the table, struggling for survival, and trying to avoid becoming the worst Premier League team in history.
Had they lost to City, they’d be on track to match Derby County’s record-low points tally of 11 from the 2007/08 season.
But this draw — this lucky, controversial draw — changed that. Now they’re safe from that shame. At least on paper.
Did they deserve it? That’s a different question.
KEVIN DE BRUYNE: A NIGHT TO FORGET
City fans expected Kevin De Bruyne to dominate. The Belgian has been the heart of their team for years. But on this night, something was missing.
His passes were off. His runs were late. His vision — usually flawless — seemed blurry.
That free kick early in the game was his best moment. And even that became part of a nightmare.
Was he affected by fatigue? Injuries? The pressure of the title race?
Only Pep Guardiola knows. But what’s clear is that City need him at his best. And right now, he’s far from it.
PEP GUARDIOLA: STUNNED SILENT
Normally, when controversial moments like this happen, Pep Guardiola speaks. He makes jokes, gives sly comments, or goes on passionate rants.
But after the Southampton draw, the City boss said very little.
His silence said everything.
He knows how dangerous it is to criticise referees. Fines. Suspensions. Media storms.
So instead, Pep let the images speak for him. The push. The fall. The non-call.
Sometimes, silence is louder than words.
CITY’S FINAL GAMES: THE MOUNTAIN AHEAD
The draw at Southampton leaves Manchester City in a difficult position.
Here are their last five results:
Everton (A): Won 2-0
Aston Villa (H): Won 2-1
Nottingham Forest (N): Won 2-0
Wolves (H): Won 1-0
Southampton (A): Drew 0-0
That’s four wins and a draw. On paper, that looks solid. But in a season where Arsenal and Liverpool are winning every week, it’s not enough.
City need perfection. And perfection slipped away in the eighth minute at St Mary’s.
A SEASON DEFINED BY ONE MOMENT?
If Manchester City fail to reach the Champions League next season, fans and analysts will look back at many games. Missed chances. Bad luck. Injuries.
But this game, this night, will be near the top of the list.
Because it wasn’t just a missed goal. It wasn’t just a 0-0 draw.
It was a moment where the system meant to protect fairness — VAR — failed them.
And when that happens, the scars last longer.
THE HARWOOD-BELLIS CONNECTION
Here’s the twist in this story.
Taylor Harwood-Bellis, the man who pushed Akanji, isn’t just a Southampton player. He’s a Manchester City academy graduate. He grew up at the club. Learned there. Trained under Guardiola. Dreamed of playing at the Etihad.
And now, years later, he’s helped deny them three points.
Football is cruel.
HACKETT’S FINAL WARNING
Keith Hackett didn’t just criticise this one moment. He used it to make a bigger point.
“The PGMOL need to be better,” he said. “If we keep missing decisions like this, the integrity of the league is at risk. VAR was brought in to fix problems, not create new ones.”
Hackett’s words carry weight. He’s not a pundit shouting for clicks. He’s a man who led referees for years.
If he’s worried, we all should be.
WHAT COMES NEXT FOR CITY?
Now, Pep Guardiola and his team must regroup. The title might still be possible. The Champions League spot is still within reach.
But they’ll need to win. And they’ll need luck. And they’ll need VAR to stop turning its back.
For Akanji, the pain will linger. For Harwood-Bellis, the irony will follow. For fans, the rage will remain.
And for VAR — well, its reputation just took another blow.
FINAL WORD: FOOTBALL DESERVES BETTER
At the heart of it all is a simple truth. Football is about fairness. About moments. About justice.
When a player is pushed in the box and nothing is done — not a penalty, not a card, not even a discussion — something is broken.
Manchester City were denied. Akanji was wronged. The game suffered.
And unless something changes, it will happen again.
