Manchester City moved to the top of the Premier League table after defeating Southampton as Erling Haaland scored again.
Ralph Hasenhuttl’s future as Southampton manager has been put into question in recent days, and the 55-year-old was unable to prevent his team from falling to the reigning champions.
Man City have now won their last six games in all competitions, including their last three in the league, with Saturday’s victory lifting them over Arsenal to the top of the table, while Southampton are in 16th place, with only seven points from their first nine games.
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ā Manchester City (@ManCity) October 8, 2022
Phil Foden, Riyad Mahrez, and Erling Braut Haaland all came close to putting the visitors up three goals inside the opening 14 minutes, with the latter hitting the post.
However, the Citizens took the lead in the 20th minute when Joao Cancelo, who was a persistent menace until his removal in the 70th minute, struck the bottom-right corner with a low strike.
Southampton offered little answer, and the hosts increased their lead in the 32nd minute when Foden superbly lifted the ball over the onrushing Gavin Bazunu following good work from Kevin De Bruyne.
Stuart Armstrong had the best chance of the first half for the visitors in the final exchanges, but he shot over the crossbar on the half-volley.
However, the Saints were well and thoroughly defeated in the 49th minute, with Mahrez picking out the bottom corner with a superb volley after a great cross from Rodri.
Just before the hour, Haaland could have made it 4-0, but he failed to make contact on a dangerous cross from De Bruyne, and it appeared that it would not be his day.
The striker was unfazed, however, and scored his 15th Premier League goal of the season in the 65th minute, hitting a low Cancelo cross into the back of the net from within the box.
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Man City will retake second place if Arsenal defeats Liverpool on Sunday, but the win puts the Citizens 13 points ahead of Jurgen Klopp’s side, despite the Reds having two games in hand.
Southampton had chances late on, but Romain Perraud wasted the best of them, blasting wide of the post after seeing his initial strike blocked by Ruben Dias.
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