Southampton vs Manchester City. Premier League.
St. Mary's StadiumAttendance30,963.
Report and free match highlights as Erling Haaland takes his tally for the season to 44 goals across all competitions and 30 in the league; Kevin De Bruyne becomes the fastest player to reach 100 Premier League assists in rout; Jack Grealish and Julian Alvarez also on the scoresheet
Sunday 9 April 2023 08:08, UK
Erling Haaland marked his return from injury with two goals as Manchester City kept up their pursuit of Arsenal with a 4-1 win at Southampton.
City's eighth win on the bounce in all competitions took them back to within five points of Arsenal, who travel to Anfield to face Liverpool on Super Sunday.
After an underwhelming first 44 minutes, City blasted into action when Haaland rose to bullet home Kevin De Bruyne's cross meaning the Belgian became the fastest player to reach 100 Premier League assists, taking just 237 games.
Jack Grealish scored back-to-back for the first time in his City career when adding a second before Haaland stole the show with a devastating acrobatic finish to take his tally for the season to 30 Premier League goals and 44 in all competitions. He is just five goals away from breaking Andy Cole (93/94) and Alan Shearer's (94/95) Premier League record of 34 goals in a single season.
Sekou Mara got Saints on the board with a tidy finish but City restored the three-goal cushion a minute later when Julian Alvarez scored from the spot after De Bruyne had been fouled.
It was another demoralising defeat for Southampton, who remain bottom of the Premier League and four points from safety.
This could have turned into a fiddly evening for City as they played with a real lack of rhythm in the first half, much like their performance when losing to Saints in the Carabao Cup on the night where Nathan Jones masterminded Pep Guardiola.
But Southampton didn't possess the punch to create any meaningful opportunities to seriously give the home fans belief that an upset was on. Kamaldeen Sulemana curled their best opening just wide of the post on 44 minutes but that close call almost worked as a wake-up call for Guardiola's side who went ahead just before the break.
De Bruyne was the architect down the left, clipping a ball that was seized upon by Haaland in usual thumping fashion this time with a headed finish. It was the seventh time this season De Bruyne had assisted Haaland for a Premier League goal and took the Belgian to 100 assists in the competition.
City missed an early chance to double their advantage after the restart when Grealish cut back to Ilkay Gundogan, who drove into the area but fired just wide of the right post.
But it was not long before Grealish, who had been bright throughout the first period, threatened again as he sent a sharp strike at Gavin Bazunu, who made the initial low stop but could not hang on to the rebound.
Grealish then turned provider when he patiently wove into the area before crossing to Haaland, who finished spectacularly with an overhead kick.
Saints ensured the visitors would not head home with a clean sheet when substitute Moussa Djenepo neatly evaded two opponents and fed Mara, who sent a low strike past Ederson.
But any faint hopes of a comeback were soon dashed when Kyle Walker-Peters brought down De Bruyne in the box and Alvarez - on for Haaland - smashed home from the spot.
Is Haaland now at the level of Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi? Guardiola sees comparisons with Ronaldo but thinks Messi remains "the complete player".
"In terms of the thesis of scoring goals. He's quite similar in terms of Cristiano but Messi is the more complete player," said Guardiola.
"Messi can play wherever while Cristano and Erling are machines. Erling knows those two guys dominated over two decades not just one or two seasons, winning titles and doing everything.
"Football is a better place for Cristano and Messi for what they have done for our business, the traction of these two guys competing at the big clubs.
"Erling is arriving in the toughest league in the world. I can talk as I've been in other leagues and doing what he has done is remarkable.
"Erling is here for these types of games, it was a little bit hard but he has the ability from an incredible assist from Kevin [De Bruyne] to break the game."
De Bruyne speaking to Sky Sports about reaching 100 assists:
"A lot of people were talking online and it's something you can't really miss, but you try to create as much as possible. I could have had two or three more. If they score, I get the assist.
"I'm known for my creativity, there are not many players who have 100 assists, but half of the side is mine and after the side is the other.
"I don't compare. Cesc Fabregas is an unbelievable football player and that's the best I can do. I try to create as much as possible and we score a lot of goals, that helps.
"Honestly, Erling scores a lot of goals. He's insane. He's there. If you create chances he will be there. We have a good combination."
Southampton face a must-win home game against relegation rivals Crystal Palace on Saturday April 15. Kick-off 3pm.
Man City host Bayern Munich in the first leg of their Champions League quarter-final on Tuesday with kick-off at 3pm. They're at home again on Saturday against Leicester, live on Sky Sports. Kick-off 5.30pm.
April 15: Crystal Palace (H) - Premier League, kick-off 3pm
April 21: Arsenal (A) - Premier League, kick-off 8pm, live on Sky Sports
April 27: Bournemouth (H) - Premier League, kick-off 7.45pm
April 30: Newcastle (A) - Premier League, kick-off 2pm
May 8: Nottingham Forest (A) - Premier League, kick-off 8pm, live on Sky Sports
May 13: Fulham (H) - Premier League, kick-off 3pm
May 20: Brighton (A) - Premier League, kick-off 3pm
May 28: Liverpool (H) - Premier League, kick-off 4.30pm
April 11: Bayern Munich (H) - Champions League, kick-off 8pm
April 15: Leicester (H) - Premier League, kick-off 5.30pm, live on Sky Sports
April 19: Bayern Munich (A) - Champions League, kick-off 8pm
April 22: Sheffield United (N) - FA Cup, kick-off 3pm
April 26: Arsenal (H) - Premier League, kick-off 8pm
April 30: Fulham (A) - Premier League, kick-off 2pm, live on Sky Sports
May 3: West Ham (H) - Premier League, kick-off 8pm, live on Sky Sports
May 7: Leeds United (H) - Premier League, kick-off 2pm, live on Sky Sports
May 13: Everton (A) - Premier League, kick-off 3pm
May 20: Chelsea (H) - Premier League, kick-off 3pm
May 28: Brentford (A) - Premier League, kick-off 4.30pm
TBA: Brighton (A) - Premier League
