Southampton's bid for automatic promotion has suffered a setback after they were forced to settle for a 2-2 draw against Bristol City. The hosts twice came from behind to level the score, with Cyle Larin and Ross Stewart cancelling out goals from Ryan Manning's own goal and Sam Bell's header.
Despite extending their unbeaten run to 20 games, Southampton's winning streak was snapped at eight matches ahead of their FA Cup semi-final clash with Manchester City. The match saw the oldest and youngest managers in the Championship face off, with Roy Hodgson's experience pitted against Tonda Eckert's youthful energy. Southampton's preparations were disrupted when captain Jack Stephens suffered an injury during the warm-up, and his replacement, Nathan Wood, was caught out early on. The visitors took the lead through Manning's own goal, but Larin equalized for the hosts just before the half-hour mark.
Bell restored City's lead in the second half, only for Stewart to level the score again. The home side had a late chance to win it, but Shea Charles was denied by Radek Vitek, and the match ended in a draw. Southampton manager Tonda Eckert reflected on the match, saying, 'There are no easy games in the Championship,' while Bristol City's Roy Hodgson praised his team's performance, saying it was the best during his time at the club.