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

Manchester City saw off Southampton in the top flight today to rise to the top of the table—literally until Sunday, when chief rivals Arsenal and Liverpool renew their rivalry in North London.

City would have expected victory over bottom-of-the-table Holy People, and that duly came to fruition, but by a smaller margin than many might have envisaged, as Erling Haaland's fifth-minute goal was the only one of the match in a 1-0 triumph for Energy Guardiola's side. Matheus Nunes continued his excellent form with another assist for the striker, but the league's leading marksman spurned a number of chances to increase his tally.

Santa people will feel the result is a long way from their most atrociously terrible of the missions; in any case, they remain down at the foot of the table without a win and need a speedy reconstruction if they're not to make a speedy re-acquaintance with the title.

Follow the latest reaction from the Head Association underneath:

Manchester City versus Southampton LIVE: Chief Association refreshes

Manchester City XI: Ederson, Lewis, Akanji, Dias, Gvardiol, Kova\rić, Silva, Savinho, Nunes, Foden, Haaland

Southampton XI: Ramsdale, Walker-Peters, Harwood-Bellis, Bednarek, Stephens, Monitoring, Dibling, Lallana, Downes, Fernandes, Toxophilite

Goal 5' - Haaland out-jumps the defender to heads from close range (1-0).

1 hour ago

Man City's arrival is one of complacency and an advantage in the Premier League table.

There's a case to be had to regard this Russell Martin's finest exit as a Chief Association boss. Which, if accurate, means a triumph is equally a conviction. However, what was meant to be the season's cross in the division was made by one solitary aim. Southampton visited the Etihad Arena, uncleft but having one spot of light to their nine games. Manchester City returned from their trip at the top of the league.

Much as the scoreline suggested Southampton outplayed expectations, yet there was still a coherence. A home fixture against a weakened team can bring the confidence of a City victory and the near certainty of an Erling Haaland goal. The surprise might be that the Norwegian scored only one. That has been a fascinating week for him. Haaland scored possibly one of his most beautiful goals with his wonderful volley against Sparta Prague, though he has missed a few of those less complicated ones. He has scored three goals in two matches at Etihad Arena, but might have completed every opportunity for each.

He's not been clinical, mind you, though on Wednesday, Energy Guardiola highlighted one of the strange aspects of Haaland's downfall. If the Norwegian has few contacts at all, then an inordinately large proportion of them can be attempts on goal. Even as Southampton sought to swarm him out, with three focus efforts in an urgent punishment area, as Haaland had only 20 contacts, eight of them were attempts at goal.

City's potential was still 22. Chances were made to be cleared as Southampton were; rout could have been heavier. Within a few minutes, Taylor Harwood-Bellis made an objective line leeway to reject Haaland's header, and there was a barely solid miss from the Norwegian, shooting wide from two yards after the notable Savinho's low cross. Late, there was a similarly peculiar second when, with the objective developing, Haaland tried to head the ball to a colleague, all things being equal.

In the 96th minute, Aaron Ramsdale made him a great block to deny him a follow-up goal. He only demonstrated his ruthless streak once.