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Southampton vs Manchester City result: Sergio Aguero goal ensures City remain on Liverpool's tail

Five things we learned as City swatted aside Southampton at St Mary's

Sunday 30 December 2018 16:46 GMT
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Manchester City: A look back at 2018

Manchester City swatted aside Southampton 3-1 at St Mary’s to move above Tottenham Hotspur in the Premier League, seven points behind league leaders Manchester City.

It did not take City long to open the scoring, with David Silva converting from close-range.

But Southampton skipper Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg quickly equalised with a superb finish from outside the box.

Not that Southampton were on level terms for long. A James Ward-Prowse own-goal and Sergio Aguero strike saw City open up a 3-1 lead on the stroke of half-time, which they never came close to losing in the second-half.

Here are five things we learned.

Aguero finally nets away from home

Sergio Aguero’s goal against Southampton marked the first time he has scored away from home in the Premier League in 13 months.

Sergio Aguero scored just before half-time

The first-half finish was also his 50th goal scored under Pep Guardiola – 16 more than City’s second most prolific player, Raheem Sterling.

The Argentinian has endured a frustrating campaign pockmarked by injury, and trails Mohamed Salah, Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and Harry Kane by four goals in the race for this year’s Golden Boot – a prize he covets. If City really are going to reel in Liverpool they will need the 30-year-old to catch his contemporaries up, and fast.

Ederson’s risks pay off

Is there a bigger risk-taker in the Premier League than Ederson?

Ederson was at his best

In the first-half of this match, Ederson took numerous risks as he repeatedly received the ball to feet. And it was almost impossible not to wince as he controlled a backpass from Danilo about a yard from his own net, before cooly dummying the ball around the advancing Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg.

It was edge-of-your-seat stuff, but Manchester City’s lightning-quick counter-attack immediately vindicated his approach. Still in possession, City swept down the other end of the pitch and almost scored, showing just how valuable Ederson is to this team.

Saints have every right to feel hard done by

At 1-1, Manchester City youngster Oleksandr Zinchenko made an exceptionally rash challenge on James Ward-Prowse in his own penalty box. Referee Paul Tierney was in a good position to assess the incident and didn’t take long to dismissively shake his head at Southampton’s appeals.

Referee Paul Tierney

Just a few minutes later and Manchester City were 3-1 up, with the game as good as won. Southampton’s supporters were incensed and the half-time whistle was greeted with a chorus of jeers.

Ward-Prowse definitely went down easily, but there was definite contact and we have all seen those kinds of softy penalties given – Mohamed Salah against Newcastle, anybody? You need luck in a relegation dogfight and today Southampton will feel aggrieved that they did not get the rub of the green.

Zinchenko not up to scratch

All in all, City’s inexperienced 22-year-old wing-back did not have a particularly good game.

This could have been a penalty

The Ukrainian has never looked a natural fit within City’s suicide-high defensive line and his first touch let him down for Southampton’s first-half equaliser. He fluffed his first touch from Aymeric Laporte's pass and immediately looked in trouble.

Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg was quick to snatch possession and belt home a leveller. It was a poor moment from Zinchenko and it is difficult to see how the youngster has a long-term future at The Etihad.

Hojbjerg beginning to deliver

Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg, on the other hand, is a player finally beginning to deliver.

A red card later cost him

The £12.8m signing from Bundesliga giants Bayern Munich made a relatively slow start to life at St Mary’s, failing to score in his first two seasons at the club and generally flattering to deceive.

However he has flourished since being handed the captaincy – at just 23-years-old – and has been in fine form since Ralph Hasenhuttl joined the club. He clearly possesses a touch of class and will be integral in Southampton’s fight to stay in the Premier League.

So what a shame a late, exceptionally stupid red card tarnished his performance and ruled him out for the next two games.

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