David Silva, centre, celebrates with team-mates Bernardo Silva and Riyad Mahrez after scoring Manchester City’s opening goal in a 3-1 Premier League win over Southampton at St Mary’s Stadium yesterday.

SOUTHAMPTON 1 MANCHESTER CITY 3

Manchester City warmed up for Thursday’s pivotal Premier League battle with Liverpool by coasting past 10-man Southampton 3-1 at St Mary’s.

David Silva and Sergio Aguero struck for City, with James WardProwse’s own goal also helping Pep Guardiola’s men get back to winning ways.

Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg fired a fine first-half goal for Saints, only to be sent off late on for a two-footed tackle.

City hit back from defeats by Crystal Palace and Leicester with ease, reclaiming second place and cutting Liverpool’s Premier League lead to seven points.

The travelling City fans chanted “We’ll fight to the end” in a warning to Liverpool and Jurgen Klopp to avoid any premature title expectations.

And this comfortable south-coast victory now hands the reigning champions the chance to test Liverpool’s resolve when the league’s top two teams meet at the Etihad Stadium on Thursday.

Hojbjerg’s rifled goal had City sweating when Saints equalised at 1-1, but straight after Ward-Prowse was rightly denied a penalty the home winger put Raheem Sterling’s low cross through his own net.

Aguero’s facile header had City 3-1 to the good and that enticing title fight with Liverpool looked even more exciting come half-time.

Guardiola said: “It was important to win after two defeats and the players did what they had to do. If one team achieves 100 points and then the year after make 45 in the first round it is not all bad.

“Before 1-1 we played to score more, then they scored and the game was more equal but we carried on and scored the second goal. In previous games we did everything and the first time the opponent arrived in our half they scored.”

Burnley grabbed a welcome three points by defeating West Ham United 2-0. Chris Wood and Dwight McNeil were their scorers.

Picture: Getty Images.