Southampton 1-4 Manchester City: Erling Haaland scores sublime bicycle kick in comfortable win

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.

It was also his 44th goal in all competitions for City this season - equalling the most by a Premier League player in a single campaign.

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.

Haaland returns in style

A lacklustre City got what they deserved in the previous meeting between the clubs, when they suffered a shock Carabao Cup quarter-final loss in January.

While Guardiola's team got what they deserved on the south coast that day, they would not make the same mistake as they proceeded to dismantle a Saints side devoid of confidence.

Although Haaland's absence did not prove disruptive in the 4-1 win over former title rivals Liverpool, the Norway forward made sure his presence was felt on Saturday evening.

Initially kept quiet by the Saints defence, a typically accurate cross from De Bruyne - just the fifth player to reach a century of Premier League assists - provided Haaland the opportunity he craved as he rose between two defenders to break the deadlock.

But it was his second that will steal the headlines. With his back to Bazunu, the prolific 22-year-old guided the ball back across goal with his outstretched left leg to make it a remarkable 44 goals in 38 games in all competitions since joining last summer.

Grealish, now oozing confidence, has also hit his best form in a City shirt at a timely moment with the England international directly involved in 10 goals in 15 league games since the World Cup break.

City have typically finished their campaigns in scintillating form to win four of the past five Premier League titles and, once again, they appear to be hitting top gear as they attempt to chase down Arsenal.

They extended their best winning run in the league this season to five matches, with the latest ensuring Guardiola's side go into the home first leg of their Champions League quarter-final against German champions Bayern Munich on Tuesday full of confidence.

Struggling Saints in serious danger

In contrast to City's run, Southampton are now five games without victory, with this loss following defeat in a key relegation clash at West Ham.

Unable to produce another shock against City, their situation is beginning to look dire with eight games remaining.

Selles, the club's third manager this season, has been unable to build on a promising start to his tenure which brought two wins in his first three league games after replacing the sacked Nathan Jones.

If they are to survive, statistics suggest it will fall to captain and top scorer James Ward-Prowse to inspire a revival. However, club-record signing Kamaldeen Sulemana hinted against City he may have a part to play.

Amid a dominant start by the visitors, which had seen Bazunu produce a fine save to deny Grealish inside five minutes, the lively Sulemana displayed his pace on the counter-attack but failed to test Ederson following a poor touch under pressure from Nathan Ake.

Mara's consolation arrived too late to inspire a meaningful fightback, with Saints equalling their record of 19 defeats in one Premier League season.

Player of the match

GrealishJack Grealish

Southampton

Squad number18Player nameMara

Squad number45Player nameLavia

Squad number31Player nameBazunu

Squad number3Player nameMaitland-Niles

Squad number20Player nameSulemana

Squad number2Player nameWalker-Peters

Squad number26Player nameAlcaraz

Squad number32Player nameWalcott

Squad number19Player nameDjenepo

Squad number17Player nameS Armstrong

Squad number27Player nameDiallo

Squad number35Player nameBednarek

Squad number24Player nameElyounoussi

Squad number37Player nameBella-Kotchap

Squad number15Player namePerraud

Squad number8Player nameWard-Prowse

Line-ups

Southampton

Formation 4-3-3

31Bazunu

3Maitland-Niles35Bednarek37Bella-Kotchap2Walker-Peters

45Lavia8Ward-Prowse24Elyounoussi

32Walcott26Alcaraz20Sulemana

Substitutes

Man City

Formation 3-2-4-1

31Ederson

6Aké3Rúben Dias25Akanji

16Rodri8Gündogan

17De Bruyne5Stones9Haaland26Mahrez

10Grealish

Substitutes

Live Text

Match ends, Southampton 1, Manchester City 4.

Second Half ends, Southampton 1, Manchester City 4.

Corner, Manchester City. Conceded by Kyle Walker-Peters.

Foul by Bernardo Silva (Manchester City).

Moussa Djenepo (Southampton) wins a free kick in the defensive half.

Kyle Walker (Manchester City) wins a free kick on the right wing.

Foul by Romain Perraud (Southampton).

Substitution, Manchester City. Kalvin Phillips replaces Rodri.

Substitution, Manchester City. Sergio Gómez replaces Nathan Aké.

Substitution, Southampton. Romain Perraud replaces Theo Walcott.

Delay over. They are ready to continue.

Substitution, Southampton. Ibrahima Diallo replaces Roméo Lavia because of an injury.

Delay in match because of an injury Roméo Lavia (Southampton).

Delay over. They are ready to continue.

Delay in match because of an injury Ainsley Maitland-Niles (Southampton).

Attempt blocked. Bernardo Silva (Manchester City) left footed shot from the centre of the box is blocked. Assisted by Kevin De Bruyne.

Goal! Southampton 1, Manchester City 4. Julián Álvarez (Manchester City) converts the penalty with a right footed shot to the centre of the goal.

Penalty Manchester City. Kevin De Bruyne draws a foul in the penalty area.

Penalty conceded by Kyle Walker-Peters (Southampton) after a foul in the penalty area.

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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