Erling Haaland achieves Manchester City's victory over Southampton despite mistakes | first division

Manchester City continue to operate in a ruthless way that tells Liverpool and Arsenal that they must do the same. Pep Guardiola's champions are in first place with this narrow victory and if Arsenal or Arne Slot's team can win Sunday's kick-off, they will deal a serious blow to the other.

City, with 23 points, leads Liverpool by two and Arsenal by six, so Mikel Arteta's team does not dare to lose.

Guardiola's charges were something rare here: a flat touch. Recently, the Catalan has preached the need for patience and, although Erling Haaland could have had a hat-trick rather than a single winner, injuries meant the manager had little resources on the bench to change positions, with only Ilkay Gündogan in attack. Senior option with mentality.

On Wednesday, Haaland took flight and created a stunning reverse backheel volley to score against Sparta Prague. Five minutes into the fight, he fell to the ground, dragged by Jan Bednarek, but still stabbed, to the delight of himself and the fans.

The cross was finished by the brilliant Matheus Nunes, who glided down the left on his first league start this season. Shortly after, the silky Portuguese floated into the area and took flight. Aaron Ramsdale saved but the winger was unopposed.

Haaland's goal was the first in the competition in October – a picturesque statistic for a number 9 with his numbers. It ended a three-game drought in the league and has already put the visitors behind the eight ball. To get away, they had to take advantage of any opportunity they could get, like when Mateus Fernandes passed the ball from the inside left zone to Cameron Archer: he had a half-step on Rúben Dias in City territory, but the forward lost control, and the defender cleaned up.

Saints can be pretty but ineffective. For example, Adam Lallana, disturbed near his penalty area by Mateo Kovacic, turned and slid past the player holding the champions, drawing applause from Russell Martin, but the play failed and City regained control.

Guardiola, who later declared himself impressed with Martin's spirit, can be the harshest of taskmasters, so chagrin ran through him when Savinho pounced on a loose pass, dunked a shoulder, entered the area and, with Haaland open, dawdled. to enable the threat. to be turned off.

Throughout the week, Martin had been struck by how his job security had been branded as “breaking news” on Sky Sports. If this suggests thickening the skin is needed, Ramsdale showed why the manager is being scrutinized through the latest illustration of Martin's insistence that his men must play from goalkeeper.

The harassed Ramsdale panicked and passed the ball to the lurking Bernardo Silva near the six-yard box. He would have found Haaland if not for the extensive Taylor Harwood-Bellis block. An escape then and how Flynn Downes also deserved to avoid the yellow card received from Tony Harrington for a legitimate challenge on Silva. Martin followed this by berating the referee and he was also cautioned. As this is his third this season, he will serve a touchline ban when Stoke visit for Tuesday's EFL Cup match.

The first half ended with Archer skating down the left and hitting Ederson's crossbar, but he was offside. The second began with a burst from Savinho that opened holes in the Saints rearguard: it touched down to the left of Phil Foden, who saw his attempt miss towards Ramsdale's left.

City's next goal appeared to be off the post but never came. Foden delivered a corner, Haaland rose and headed in and Harwood-Bellis cleared off the line. He turned the ball over for Haaland to head once again, but Ramsdale saved. Savinho crossed to the far post from the right and Haaland somehow deflected, much to his despair, from close range.

In the middle, Adam Armstrong, who came on after the break for Tyler Dibling, aimed directly at Ederson during a counterattack down the City left. Then, almost the Fernandes disaster. Once again, the hosts locked down the Saints, so the number 18's solution was a wild pass from the left wing straight to Nunes, but she couldn't finish.

One subplot featured Haaland's missed headers: the next came from a Savinho delivery that he directed towards the goal rather than in. In the end Gündogan came close but this was a subdued City performance that almost came down to a draw when substitute Joe Aribo had a late chance. , but his weak shot saved the locals.

Silva said: “I saw the games they played this season and I think they deserve a lot more points than they have.”