STERRING LATE FINISH BY CITY
Hero Raheem creates more last-gasp pandemonium
Long/
EDERSON
Assured handling, feet and impressive distribution
WALKER
Caught out defensively on a couple of occasions
KOMPANY Booked
Beaten by Lemina then saw yellow for foul on
OTAMENDI
His first-half mix-up with Ederson handed Saints a corner
DELPHE
Many of Saints’ best moves came down his flank
FERNANDINHO
Forced a fine save from Forster early on
GUNDOGAN
Found the side-netting with a chance in the opening period JESUS
Typically livewire display by Brazilian. Denied by Forster
DE BRUYNE
Produced dead-ball delivery for opening goal and assist for winner STERLING
Showed early promise and despite fading he rallied for the winner AGUERO
Headed over early on. Quiet night by his standards
SUBS: D Silva (Jesus 74) 5
B Silva (Gundogan 80) MOTM Made a string of fine saves. Little chance with the goals
HOEDT
Hit the bar with an early header. Solid at the back
YOSHIDA
Ballooned close-range effort over in opening half
VAN DIJK
Diverted the ball into his own net for City’s opener
SOARES
Had to be alert all night to deal with the threat of Jesus HOJBJERG
Put himself about the pitch but tired and was hauled off
ROMEU
Covered a lot of ground. Industry paid off with the leveller
LEMINA
Made some key interceptions. A threat going forward
BERTRAND
Decent delivery from corners and defensively solid
LONG Booked
Gave City skipper Kompany a difficult night
REDMOND
Pushed Walker back with some probing runs
SUBS: Boufal (Hojbjerg 64) 5 Austin (Long 83)
Mcqueen (Soares 87) Romeu 75 MANCHESTER CITY restored their eight-point lead with a dramatic late strike from serial matchwinner Raheem Sterling. His goal, six minutes into stoppage-time, extended City’s winning run to 19 games in all competitions and sparked scenes of pandemonium.
After sweeping the ball into the net, Sterling ran the length of the pitch, pursued by his team-mates and the rest of the squad, while Pep Guardiola and his staff went berserk, celebrating on the pitch. Not since Sergio Aguero snatched the title from Manchester United on goal difference with his dramatic added-time strike on the final day of the 2011-12 season has the Etihad Stadium witnessed such late drama. Guardiola’s celebrations earned him a talking-to from ref Paul Tierney, while the Catalan exchanged verbals with Southampton’s Nathan Redmond at the final whistle.
City went into the game boasting the best top-flight points haul after 13 games since Liverpool in the 1990-91 campaign.
Fernandinho produced the first chance after 12 minutes, a speculative shot from 20 yards that had Fraser Forster diving full-stretch to his right, but went just wide of the target.
Within a minute, Saints went close themselves, Maya Yoshida flicking on a corner for Wesley Hoedt, whose header thudded against the bar and away for City to break on the counter-attack.
Sterling scampered down the left before cutting inside and unleashing a dipping shot which was blocked by Forster, who repeated the feat after Gabriel Jesus seized on the rebound.
City went close again through Fernandinho in the 19th minute, Forster needing to be alert again to keep out his effort, while Aguero headed over after Kevin De Bruyne picked up the loose ball.
The home side continued with another slick move ending with further heroics from Forster, who saved from Jesus, with Ilkay Gundogan finding the side-netting with the follow-up.
Saints were not without their own chances, Mario Lemina beating City skipper Vincent Kompany and testing Ederson at his near post, the skipper scooping the ball behind for a corner.
Mauricio Pellegrino’s side went close again from the resulting corner, Virgil van Dijk (left) knocking the ball down for Yoshida, who was unable to keep his volley under the bar.
Kompany, making a third successive Premier League start after returning from his latest injury lay-off, struggled at times and was booked for a block on Shane Long.
City opened the scoring two minutes after the restart from De Bruyne’s menacing setpiece delivery.
Guardiola’s half-time teamtalk clearly had the desired effect, with Jesus almost making it 2-0 moments later.
Jesus won the ball off Yoshida just before the hour and exchanged passes with Aguero, but Forster was out early to foil the young striker.
Saints drew level with 15 minutes left, Fabian Delph committing himself, allowing substitute Sofiane Boufal to bring the ball down before cutting it back for Oriol Romeu to sweep into the roof of the net.
But Sterling waited until the dying seconds to deliver his hammer blow.