Ahead of Wednesday's game at the Bernabeu, Manchester City's second string side looked largely disinterested in this afternoon's Premier League clash with Southampton crashing to a 4-2 defeat. For Southampton, Saido Mane hit a hat-trick, after Shane Long opened the scoring with his 100th career goal in English football:
Shane Long has now scored 100 English club career goals #Centurion pic.twitter.com/W2J250xDvL
— Irish Football Pics (@irish_pics) May 1, 2016
10 - Shane Long has hit double figures in a Premier League season for the first time in his career (10 goals). Saintly.
— OptaJoe (@OptaJoe) May 1, 2016
While Mane took the official Man of the Match award, Niall Quinn toyed with the idea of giving it to Long, whose tireless running ran Southampton ragged. While Quinn gave the award to Mane - compelled, presumably, by Sky's desire to interview a man who scored a hat-trick - Thierry Henry argued afterwards that Long was the game's best player, constantly creating space for Mane to do damage to an anaemic City.
Henry: "For me the man of the match was Shane Long. He got them going in every way" - Thoughts? #SuperSunday https://t.co/o5yo8t8lSH
— Sky Sports Premier League (@SkySportsPL) May 1, 2016
— Adam Hurrey (@FootballCliches) May 1, 2016
Shane Long has just scored his 100th goal in club football! He will be vital for Ireland at Euro 2016. #saintsfc #coybig
— Dave O'Grady (@DaveOGrady1) May 1, 2016
Top performance from @ShaneLong7 today the running you do for the team is unbelievable 👍🏻
— Paul Cook (@Paul1cook) May 1, 2016
Now that he has done more damage for Southampton, we would all welcome Ronald Koeman deciding to rest him for the rest of the season. Wrap that man in cotton wool.
