Manchester City vs Southampton LIVE: Premier League result, score and reaction after Haaland winner

There is a case for calling this Russell Martin’s best result as a Premier League manager. Which, if true, means an achievement is also an indictment. But what threatened to be the biggest mismatch in the division was decided by a lone goal. Southampton left the Etihad Stadium unbloodied but with one point to show from their nine games. Manchester City departed top of the league.

Much as the scoreline suggested Southampton surpassed expectations, there was still a predictability. A home match against a lesser side can come with the guarantee of a City win, the near-guarantee of an Erling Haaland goal. The surprise may be that the Norwegian got only one. His has been an intriguing week, Haaland scoring one of his most remarkable goals, with his spectacular volley against Sparta Prague, but missing several simpler chances. He has three goals to show for two games at the Etihad Stadium, but could have had hat-tricks in each.

He has not been clinical but, on Wednesday, Pep Guardiola noted one of the idiosyncratic features of Haaland’s game. If the Norwegian has very few touches, a very high percentage of them can be shots. Even as Southampton sought to crowd him out, with three centre-backs in a packed penalty area, as Haaland had only 20 touches, eight of them were attempts at goal.

City’s eventual tally stood at 22. Obdurate as Southampton were, defeat could have been heavier Within a couple of minutes, Taylor Harwood-Bellis made a goal-line clearance to repel Haaland’s header and there was a barely credible miss from the Norwegian, shooting wide from two yards after the impressive Savinho’s low cross. Late, there was a similarly strange moment when, with the goal gaping, Haaland tried to head the ball to a teammate instead.

In the 96th minute, Aaron Ramsdale made him a fine block to deny him a second goal. Haaland only showed his ruthless streak once.

Report:

Manchester City secure all three points against Southampton, with Haaland’s fifth-minute strike enough to see off Southampton at the Etihad. City pressed forward in search of another to double their advantage, but just couldn’t find the back of the net, with Haaland seeing his header cleared off the line by Harwood-Bellis, before the striker was also denied by Ramsdale late on. Southampton hung in there, defending well in numbers and trying to break forward on the counter when they could, with Armstrong going closest in the second half. However, neither side could register and City saw the game out to wrap up a 1-0 win. This victory moves City top of the table, ahead of next weekends match against Bournemouth. However, they also feature in midweek, against Tottenham in the EFL Cup. Meanwhile Southampton remain 19th and without a win this season and they face Stoke City in the EFL Cup on Tuesday, before welcoming Everton next weekend in the league. That’s all from us today, we hope you enjoyed the game!

Substitution Rico Henry Mark Lewis John Stones

FULL-TIME: MANCHESTER CITY 1-0 SOUTHAMPTON

SAVE! Ramsdale with a superb stop to deny Haaland! Foden feeds Haaland through on goal and the striker only has the keeper to beat, but Ramsdale races off his line to close the gap and makes an excellent save.

City are having to do the defending now, they've got everyone sitting deep as Southampton pile on the pressure in stoppage time.

We're deep into stoppage time now, there's been six minutes added on, so plenty of time for Southampton to try and score a late goal. They win a corner, their first of the game, can they create something?

It's quiet inside the Etihad, with Southampton supporters making more noise at the moment in these final few stages. Can their side nick a late equaliser?

Yellow Card Mateo Kovačić

There's not much on for City in the final third, so Akanji goes for goal from distance, but his effort is straight at Ramsdale, who makes a comfortable save.