GO THE EXTR Walker scores City’s vital late winner as Pep

IT was the kind of victory that wins Premier League titles – and Pep Guardiola remembered that two seasons ago a late win against Southampton did just that.

Kyle Walker’s late strike ensured that Manchester City go into next week’s monumental clash with Liverpool still trailing the pacesetters by six points.

But while Liverpool may have struck twice at the death themselves at Villa Park to maintain their juicy advantage at the top, this was a day that could have been much, much worse for the defending champions.

With 20 minutes to go, Guardiola’s men were trailing to a Saints side that had been humiliated 9-0 at home just eight days earlier.

On Tuesday night, City had knocked Ralph Hasenhuttl’s beleaguered side out of the Carabao Cup.

But 70 minutes in, City had failed to get a single shot on target despite spending most of the game camped inside Alex McCarthy’s penalty area.

Then Sergio Aguero hammered home Walker’s cross to set up a grandstand finish.

And Walker completed a dramatic comeback three minutes from time with his first league goal in 14 months.

It brought back some happy memories for Guardiola (right).

In 2017, when Raheem Sterling struck an injury-time winner against

Southampton, the sight of Guardiola dancing on the pitch in celebration became an iconic image from one of that season’s defining games.

Guardiola said: “Two seasons ago the winner was later – but it was quite similar.

“Maybe it was even more difficult this time, because Southampton scored with their only shot on target.

“But we were patient and the rhythm was high from the first minute. That was good – and so I pay a big compliment for the team.”

Guardiola may have felt his team were rewarded for their patience – bu the City boss was a bag of nerves o the touchline from the moment Jame Ward-Prowse swooped on a mistak by Ederson to put the visito ahead after 12 minutes. Stuart Armstrong’s sho from the edge of the bo was too hot for th Ederson to handle an Ward- Prowse reacte first to lash the loose ba into the roof of the net.

City’s response was 1 first-half efforts on goal bu Saints goalkeeper didn’t hav to make a single save.

Guardiola, a frustrated ball o touchline energy, failed with a attempt to bring on Gabriel Jesus as