Manchester City moved top of the Premier League until Sunday evening at least with a routine win over Southampton on Saturday.
While Ralph Hasenhuttl’s side made life difficult for the champions last season and claimed two spirited draws, Saints could not have been more accommodating opponents this time around.
From the second minute onwards, City were creating chances at will and could have broken in the deadlock in the first 120 seconds had either Riyad Mahrez or Phil Foden turned the ball in from close range as it pinged around Southampton’s penalty box.
Such was City’s profligacy in the early stages, Joao Cancelo took it upon himself to force the opener. Driving at opposition defenders, the Portugal international weaved inside and out before unleashing a powerful shot into the bottom corner.
One quickly became two when Foden, again bursting through the left channel, chipped Gavin Bazunu with a delicate ease, putting City two up before the break
With City largely wasteful and Stuart Armstrong hitting a fierce volley just over the bar on the stroke of half-time, the game still had something resembling a pulse as the teams walked down the tunnel.
Seconds after they walked back up it, however, that was quickly extinguished. Mahrez, who appeared to use his earlier missed chances as a practice, met Cancelo’s diagonal with a fine volley to pile more misery on the visitors.
Prior to kick-off, Erling Haaland was reportedly the shortest ever price for a striker to score in a Premier League game with various bookmakers. Up until the 65th minute, plenty of punters would have been sweating given how many chances the Norweigan had squandered. The City star, however, is inevitable.
Cancelo’s pull-back found him in the box and the 22-year-old scored his 20th City goal with a powerful finish back across the ‘keeper.
As routine as they come for City, who will take some catching at the top of the League.
