After two successful spells at Luton Town, Nathan Jones was appointed Southampton manager in November 2022. He arrived with the club in the Premier League relegation places. In a challenging season, cup ties provided as many wins as Southampton’s league fixtures. The highlight was a comprehensive EFL Cup victory over favourites Manchester City.

As all coaches know, the best laid plans rarely pan out exactly as desired. On a January night at St Mary’s Stadium, however, Jones’ carefully constructed tactical plans – which he reveals in our exclusive Masterclass – came to spectacular fruition. Such was their successful implementation, it was the only occasion City would be beaten by more than one goal in their treble-winning season.

By February, however, with Southampton still struggling to get results in the league, Jones was dismissed. The club’s third manager of the campaign also struggled to get league points, and relegation was confirmed with two games remaining.

But against City in the EFL Cup, Jones and his team gave a demonstration of what they were capable of. In this detailed Masterclass, Jones explains the thinking behind his selections, key principles that underpinned the performance, and the planned secondary shape he switched to, in response to a tactical tweak from Guardiola.