EXTENDED HIGHLIGHTS | Southampton 1-4 City | Haaland bicycle kick and KDB milestone

Welcome to St Mary's Stadium as the two sides make their way out onto the field. And with the Blues playing catch-up they know that they must be ready to strike if and when Arsenal falter. And might this be the weekend in which it happens? The Blues facing bottom side Southampton, the Gunners and Anfield. It does seem imperative that City leave St Mary's with all three points. They've been bypassed and now City have a four-on-three if they can work it quickly. And there's a man over on the left-hand side here, and it'll come to Grealish, and Grealish to Barzunu, and the parry almost fell to De Bruyne. Well, you could see the overload on the left-hand side unfolding in front of us. Southampton aggressive in the press, but once City got beyond them, my goodness, there were gaps there, Michael. Huge gaps, it was a brilliant counter from City, once it came to Grealish, obviously he was going to go in that corner, good execution, just didn't fall from there on, and City keep coming, Jack Grealish just runs out of space, but really, really positive. Southampton now trying to win the ball back, they've lost it in fact, and City with Rodri, and Rodri now on to De Bruyne, De Bruyne's in a bit of a spot though, there were two Southampton players round him, but it's worked out wide to Grealish, Grealish now towards De Bruyne, De Bruyne in a crossing position, there's a deflection on the cross, and City have corner number two. Stones and the Kanji and Rodri, we're all waiting for the delivery into the area, and this time it comes in and it's punched away by Barzunu, Mahrez, and then hit, and there's a deflection on the shot, and it will go away for corner number three, Gunawan turns away in frustration because he feels his shot was probably on target. Corner to Mahrez on the edge of the area, and suddenly Southampton are on the burst, they've won the ball back, it's one-on-one with Ake, Ake now trying to do what he can, but Southampton are through on goal, and then Ederson comes out, a heavy touch from Suleymane, goodness me, it was an interesting corner, Mahrez played it to the edge to De Bruyne, but De Bruyne couldn't quite get to it, and suddenly Suleymane burst, what, 80 metres from one edge of the area to the other, but his touch betrayed him, and just as he was thinking of shooting, he passed it straight into the possession of Ederson. Kicked forward by Deans, helped on first time by De Bruyne, hooked on towards Grealish, wonderful first-time volleyed pass, Grealish now getting towards the final third, outside it goes to De Bruyne, De Bruyne pops in the cross, the deflection could go anywhere, Haaland jumps at it and heads it wide. De Bruyne, ridiculous again. Anyone can see this about awareness on the pitch, scanning the pitch, knowing what's around you, he just spins it into the court and nobody's looking. And then he doesn't just stop, plays the call-over, then drives forward, gets it into a good position, flicks the ball to the back post, and there's Haaland, and the City supporters thought it was in. Now Southampton run it back through the left field, it's a good ball. El-Yanoussi, leading counter-starge for Southampton, keeps on coming, gets towards the edge of the City penalty area. Now it's Suleymane, Suleymane trying to get outside of Akanji, plays it in field, City try to run it back, they can't. Labier in a shooting position, still with Labier, good ball, real chance for Suleymane, right across the face of the City goal, and out for a goal kick. Suleymane does well to stay on, it was sort of in two minds whether to go from the far post, whether to play it across. No doubt about it, when you see him look as he tries to do it, he just tries to get his shots away, but it wasn't really convincing. But a big chance for Southampton, great work from Labier. Suleymane, yet to score since he joined them, but it was a chance. Now here comes City, De Bruyne, crossing position, Gundogan on the edge of the area, tackled, Grealish picks up the loose one, City still in the final third here. A little bit of space out wide for De Bruyne, De Bruyne now with a bending cross, Haaland! 1-0 City! De Bruyne gets his 100th Premier League assist, of course he does! And Erling Haaland gets the goal, he's 29th of the Premier League season, he's 43rd of the campaign, and the Blues lead by one goal to nil. Kevin De Bruyne, you have joined the Centurion Club of Premier League assists, you've done it faster than anyone else in history, and right on half-time, Erling Haaland gives City the lead. On it goes to Gundogan, City have escaped the press and they come down the left-hand side. Grealish now comes infield, tries to get beyond the defender, it breaks for Gundogan, Gundogan in the penalty area, bends the shot round the post! And he looks away and he says to himself, I should have scored, Michael, do you agree? Yeah, he's in a good position, he just tries to open his body up, but to be fair there was a few just in the line of his sight, he just opens it, tries to sneak it round, Bednarek. City got it with Haaland on the halfway line, and he finds De Bruyne, and De Bruyne into the gap for Grealish, Grealish now, one-on-one, good save for Sulu, fires in the rebound! Salahm to nil, City 2-0! And this marvellous run of form for Jack Grealish, he's involved in goals and he's got another one for City, and at a crucial point in this season, and of course in this particular game, City now have a commanding two-goal advantage. And those two substitutes combined on the right-hand side, and then Haaland, that to De Bruyne, and from then on the way to the pass, the quality, right into Jack Grealish's path. But what Jack Grealish doesn't hesitate, he just pushes it forward, gets his shot with his left foot, tries to go near post, follows up, sweeps it in with the outside of his right, wonderful finish, all deserving of a great double from City. As Grealish comes forward in the left-wing position, taking on Benarek, into the penalty area he goes, clips it on, Haaland! That is a stunning finish from Erling Haaland! He assumes that famous yoga pose, and City have the three points, and Erling Haaland is two-thirds of the way to his first away hat-trick as a Manchester City player, and Jack Grealish has got himself another Premier League assist. City are very much in control of this game, and Arsenal are now in their sights once more, and Erling Haaland moves on to just 30, yes, 30 Premier League goals and 44 in total, and the Blues surely are three points better off. They haven't won a trophy yet this season, they haven't got a clean sheet either, and they're not gonna get one, because Sekou Marr has pulled one back! The ball into the penalty area, and City were opened up, I'm not quite sure what happened if they got a little bit lethargic, or their concentration levels were a little bit beyond them, but the ball was played into the box, Sekou Marr was completely isolated in the central area, and it's 3-1, and this game maybe isn't over. This is it, it looked like it was gonna be a canter for City to the end of this game now. Energy level's gonna be increased to come back now, but here goes Grealish. Grealish on the edge of the penalty area, De Bruyne helps it back to Gundogan, on it goes to Rodri, interestingly the two substitutes combined for that goal, De Bruyne, and on it goes Alvarez, and that's a penalty all day long, and City have the chance to make it 4-1. Alvarez with a puff of the cheeks, whistle from Rob Jones, penalty into the corner of the net, Alvarez goes over to the City fans behind the goal, and City's three-goal advantage is very quickly restored. Southampton 1-4 City, and Julian Alvarez now gets his 14th of the season, his 7th in the Premier League, not bad really for a player who has largely come on for cameo appearances.