Southampton remain winless in their last nine visits to the Etihad (D1 L8), as goals from Aguero, Sterling, Silva and a Wesley Hoedt own goal were enough to secure all three points against a sorry Southampton side.

The visitors made the worst possible start to the game conceding in the opening five minutes. After patient build up play, Manchester City found the back of the net via a Wesley Hoedt own goal. Sane received the ball from a brilliant David Silva pass and managed to find Leroy Sane on the edge of the penalty area. Sane fizzed in a dangerous ball, which Wesley Hoedt did his best to clear. With Raheem Sterling loitering just behind him, he could only slice his effort past his goalkeeper and in to the top right corner of the goal.

Aguero doubled the lead for the hosts minutes later. It was a simple goal, with David Silva doing well to maze through the Manchester City defence, teeing up Raheem Sterling. The smart move set up Sergio Aguero, who did brilliantly to finish with a first time effort with his right foot.

This goal marked the Argentine’s 150th in the Premier League for Manchester City. This landmark goal sees City's all-time top goalscorer join an exclusive club, which includes Thierry Henry and Wayne Rooney, for players who have scored 150 Premier League goals for the same club.

Silva piled on the misery for Southampton and rounded off a destructive opening fifteen minutes. Bernardo Silva slipped in the rampant Raheem Sterling, who has already laid City's second on a plate for Aguero, with the England man clipping a ball into the box from the byline. Leroy Sane challenged in the air and whilst he was unable to guide it goalwards, the ball dropped perfectly for Silva to volley into the roof of the net first time at the far post.

Alex McCarthy was left a mere spectator in the visiting goal as he was made to pick the ball out of his net for the third time in the encounter, with there still well over an hour of football to be played.

Man City were looking to keep a clean sheet in seven consecutive league games for the first time in their entire history, however Danny Ings denied this. Despite dominating throughout, Southampton were rewarded an early lifeline after Ederson brought down the 26-year-old. The Liverpool loanee was first to a well played through ball, and rounded Ederson. The Brazilian clearly brought down Ings, leaving the referee no choice but to award a penalty. Ings stepped up to take the spot-kick and coolly slotted the ball in to Ederson’s right hand corner, with the 25-year-old diving the wrong way.

Any questions of a comeback were quickly quelled, as Raheem Sterling wrapped up the game just before the stroke of half-time Brilliant build up play from the hosts set Sergio Aguero scampering after the ball towards the by line. Following a brief battle with 'Saints' full back Cédric, the Argentine looked to pick out a teammate in the middle of the box. Striker Aguero spotted the run of Sterling and fired a low pass to the Englishman's feet. After initially miscontrolling of the ball, Sterling managed to sort out his feet, trick his way around an advancing Southampton defender, before firing low into the bottom corner of the visitors net.

Credit to Southampton, they did not lie down and accept their fate. Mark Hughes’ side had a multiple of chances in the second-half, finally working Ederson. James Ward-Prowse’s ambitious long-ranged effort was uncharacteristically spilled by Ederson, with the goalkeeper recovering well to save Danny Ings’ second effort.

Ten minutes later he was called upon again, this time from a corner. Danny Ings rose well to flick on a Nathan Redmond set piece, however he got down well to his right hand side and pushed the ball away from any danger.

Manchester City now have a two point cushion at the top of the Premier League, whereas Southampton drop down to 16th place, just one point above the relegation zone.

Wesley Hoedt

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