Manchester City 6 Southampton 1

There was a 20 minute phase during this match where Manchester City exalted in playing some of the best attacking football I have seen.

There has been a debate amongst fans in recent weeks as to whether the football being played by Manchester City this season is as good as last season – when we set the Premier League alight to become Centurions – or is better. Up until yesterday I wasn’t really sure that an improvement on last season was even remotely possible. Indeed during close season we actually lamented whether we see the like again, but those seem like distant day dreams in the mists of summer now.

There was a period early in the first half of this game where Manchester City clicked into a whirring flurry of attacking runs at pace, where they recovered the ball almost before it had been lost. Where Southampton were left standing forlornly in space as time seemed to freeze around them.

The constant organised attacking waves looked beautiful to watch, as we undid their defensive lines through guile and skill. I think its unfair to say to say there was a dereliction of duty by Southampton to the art of defending. I thought they looked like a good and skillful side who are probably too good to go down. There are worse teams in this League. They caused us some problems at moments, but never coherently enough to really worry our team.

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The issue for Southampton was they became quickly bewildered by the movement, and didn’t commit to anything complete in response. They didn’t press as a unit, didn’t defend deep, didn’t seek to create an overload outlet. Mark Hughes. the Southampton Manager, stood on the byline, hands on hips, as baffled as his team.

It took just 6 minutes for Manchester City to score. Sergio Aguero passed to David Silva who nipped the ball to Leroy Sane who skipped down the wing and hit one of those low, hard cross shots no one likes to defend against. Wesley Hoedt obliged and turned the ball into his own net. 5 minutes later Raheem Sterling surged to the byline and crossed for Aguero to smash the ball into the net.

In the 18th minute Sterling again crossed after a mazy run and slammed a high ball which Sane nodded to David Silva who volleyed home with his left foot. This was a beautiful goal which illustrated the heights to which we are capable of ascending.

Ederson was clearly suffering some boredom so decided to get in on the action. Rather than appearing in midfield he simply chose to bring down Danny Ings who was chasing a long ball. There were 2 or 3 minutes when Southampton pressed harder, more in hope than belief. But this soon expired and normal service resumed. City though, conserved effort and energy from this point and went down through the gears. We kept the ball. We passed. Occasionally we made a poor pass and lost possession, and then we enjoyed hunting the ball back.

In injury time at the end of the first half Manchester City added a 4th goal. Aguero harried a defender and hooked possession from him on the byline – squaring a ball across the six yard line for Sterling to hammer home.

In the second half Manchester City sat back and Ederson had to make a couple of saves. These prevented him from reaching peak boredom and kept him largely resigned to his own area. City hit the post, and tried to walk the ball into the net on a couple of occasions. Sterling added a 5th goal by nutmegging the goalkeeper after some good interplay again by Aguero.

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In added time at the end of the game Leroy Sane scored after leading a further break. The assist was by Raheem Sterling and it capped a wonderful performance. “Top of the League” sang the fans and we are.

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