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Erling Haaland scored twice, including a superb bicycle kick, as Manchester City reduced the gap to Premier League leaders Arsenal to five points with a comfortable victory at relegation-threatened Southampton.
Haaland, absent from City’s previous league win over Liverpool with a groin injury, displayed his athleticism to meet Jack Grealish’s cross for City’s third and take his remarkable league tally this season to 30 goals in 27 games.
Kevin de Bruyne registered his 100th Premier League assist as he set up Haaland to give dominant City a half-time lead at St Mary’s, before Grealish continued his impressive post-World Cup form as he beat Gavin Bazunu at the second time of asking.
Sekou Mara emerged from the Saints bench to reduce the deficit following Haaland’s acrobatic second, but just 75 seconds later City were awarded a penalty for a foul on De Bruyne which Julian Alvarez calmly converted.
It completed an eighth consecutive win in all competitions for Pep Guardiola’s side, who maintained the pressure on Arsenal before the Gunners face Liverpool at Anfield on Sunday (16:30 BST).
Southampton remain four points adrift of safety at the bottom of the table and time is running out for Ruben Selles and his players to rescue their situation.
More to follow.
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Southampton
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Squad number31Player nameBazunu
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Squad number3Player nameMaitland-Niles
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Squad number35Player nameBednarek
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Squad number37Player nameBella-Kotchap
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Squad number2Player nameWalker-Peters
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Squad number45Player nameLavia
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Squad number8Player nameWard-Prowse
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Squad number24Player nameElyounoussi
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Squad number32Player nameWalcott
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Squad number26Player nameAlcaraz
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Squad number20Player nameSulemana
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Squad number15Player namePerraud
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Squad number17Player nameS Armstrong
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Squad number18Player nameMara
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Squad number19Player nameDjenepo
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Squad number27Player nameDiallo
Line-ups
Southampton
Formation 4-3-3
- 31Bazunu
- 3Maitland-Niles
- 35Bednarek
- 37Bella-Kotchap
- 2Walker-Peters
- 45LaviaSubstituted forDialloat 80′minutes
- 8Ward-Prowse
- 24ElyounoussiSubstituted forS Armstrongat 61′minutes
- 32WalcottSubstituted forPerraudat 80′minutes
- 26AlcarazSubstituted forDjenepoat 69′minutes
- 20SulemanaSubstituted forMaraat 69′minutes
Substitutes
- 1McCarthy
- 6Caleta-Car
- 12Onuachu
- 15Perraud
- 17S Armstrong
- 18Mara
- 19Djenepo
- 23Edozie
- 27Diallo
Man City
Formation 3-2-4-1
- 31Ederson
- 6AkéSubstituted forGómezat 81′minutes
- 3Rúben Dias
- 25Akanji
- 16RodriSubstituted forPhillipsat 81′minutes
- 8Gündogan
- 17De Bruyne
- 5StonesBooked at 36minsSubstituted forWalkerat 56′minutes
- 9HaalandBooked at 56minsSubstituted forÁlvarezat 69′minutes
- 26MahrezSubstituted forBernardo Silvaat 56′minutes
- 10Grealish
Substitutes
- 2Walker
- 4Phillips
- 14Laporte
- 18Ortega
- 19Álvarez
- 20Bernardo Silva
- 21Gómez
- 80Palmer
- 82Lewis
- Referee:
- Robert Jones
- Attendance:
- 30,963
Live Text
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Match ends, Southampton 1, Manchester City 4.
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Second Half ends, Southampton 1, Manchester City 4.
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Corner, Manchester City. Conceded by Kyle Walker-Peters.
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Foul by Bernardo Silva (Manchester City).
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Moussa Djenepo (Southampton) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
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Kyle Walker (Manchester City) wins a free kick on the right wing.
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Foul by Romain Perraud (Southampton).
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Substitution, Manchester City. Kalvin Phillips replaces Rodri.
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Substitution, Manchester City. Sergio Gómez replaces Nathan Aké.
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Substitution, Southampton. Romain Perraud replaces Theo Walcott.
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Delay over. They are ready to continue.
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Substitution, Southampton. Ibrahima Diallo replaces Roméo Lavia because of an injury.
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Delay in match because of an injury Roméo Lavia (Southampton).
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Delay over. They are ready to continue.
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Delay in match because of an injury Ainsley Maitland-Niles (Southampton).
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Attempt blocked. Bernardo Silva (Manchester City) left footed shot from the centre of the box is blocked. Assisted by Kevin De Bruyne.
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Goal! Southampton 1, Manchester City 4. Julián Álvarez (Manchester City) converts the penalty with a right footed shot to the centre of the goal.
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Penalty Manchester City. Kevin De Bruyne draws a foul in the penalty area.
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Penalty conceded by Kyle Walker-Peters (Southampton) after a foul in the penalty area.
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Goal! Southampton 1, Manchester City 3. Sékou Mara (Southampton) right footed shot from the centre of the box to the bottom left corner. Assisted by Moussa Djenepo.
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