By the time Manchester City next play at home, they will have passed two years unbeaten in the Premier League at the Etihad Stadium.
Their football may be lacking its usual fizz but, nine games in and with seven players out to injury, City are the only unbeaten side in the league.
Asked how they were coping without midfield linchpin Rodri, Manuel Akanji said: 'By the way we're playing. We haven't lost a game this year so I think we're doing well.'
Not that it was easy on Saturday. Erling Haaland scored early, but a mixture of Saints' dogged defending and City's poor finishing kept the score respectable.