A SOUTHAMPTON side featuring Ireland’s Gavin Bazunu could not prevent Man City from coasting to a comfortable 4-0 win in the Premier League today.
The victory sees Pep Guardiola’s side move to the top of the table, with second-place Arsenal not playing until tomorrow.
Erling Haaland struck his 20th goal of the season as Manchester City strolled to the top of the Premier League with a 4-0 demolition of Southampton at the Etihad.
Joao Cancelo, Phil Foden and Riyad Mahrez were also on target for the English champions, who move two points ahead of Arsenal at the top of the table.
City travel to Liverpool next weekend for what has become the Premier League’s marquee clash in recent seasons.
But on this form Pep Guardiola’s men look unstoppable with Haaland added to a squad that has already won four titles in the last five seasons.
Today's @EASPORTSFIFA Man of the Match...
— Manchester City (@ManCity) October 8, 2022
Joao Cancelo ✨
🔵 4-0 😇 #ManCity pic.twitter.com/hpVhnU3eNc
After a couple of early season slip ups, City are beginning to hit their stride in a six-game winning run and have now struck 31 goals in seven games at the Etihad this season.
The surprise was that for once Haaland was not leading the charge as the 22-year-old’s streak of hat-tricks in home Premier League games came to an end at three.
Haaland should have opened the scoring when he rattled the inside of the post from Foden’s through ball in the early stages, but it appeared only a matter of time before the floodgates opened.
Cancelo was retained at left-back despite the absence of Kyle Walker at right-back and the Portuguese produced a finish Haaland would have been proud of as he marauded forward and fired into the bottom corner on 20 minutes.
Foden netted his first hat-trick as City tore Manchester United to shreds last weekend and continued his fine form in front of goal with a delightful chip over Gavin Bazunu.
Southampton boss Ralph Hasenhuttl could have taken charge of the Saints for the final time with reports this week that the Austrian is on the brink of being sacked.
After a bright start to the campaign, Southampton have lost their last four games and had no answer to the wave upon wave of City attacks after the break.
Guardiola has had some stern words for Mahrez on his physical conditioning in the early weeks of the season, but there were sparks of the Algerian’s best as he volleyed home Rodri’s cross to kill off the encounter as a contest.
FULL-TIME | All three points for City! 🙌
— Manchester City (@ManCity) October 8, 2022
🔵 4-0 😇 #ManCity pic.twitter.com/KX8oTqxWBI
All eyes then turned to Haaland’s quest to keep his incredible scoring streak going.
Twice the former Borussia Dortmund striker was guilty of passing up chances he would normally bury as he failed to connect with De Bruyne’s cross from point blank range and then failed to beat Bazunu on a one-on-one.
However, Haaland did finally net for the 10 consecutive club game when he fired home a low cross form the excellent Cancelo.
At Stamford Bridge, Chelsea racked up a third win in new boss Graham Potter’s four games since replacing the sacked Thomas Tuchel.
Potter made seven changes after the midweek Champions League victory over AC Milan, with Reece James, Raheem Sterling and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang among those rested.
Showing the depth of their squad, Chelsea took the lead when Kai Havertz netted three minutes into first half stoppage-time with a looping header from Mason Mount’s pin-point cross.
Christian Pulisic put Chelsea in complete control with a cute finish after exchanging passes with Mount in the 54th minute.
Armando Broja grabbed his first goal for Chelsea with a 20-yard drive in the 90th minute.
After their spluttering form at the end of Tuchel’s reign, Chelsea are up to fourth place, although Brighton would go back above them with a win against Tottenham in Saturday’s late game.
Managerless Wolves, who sacked Bruno Lage earlier in the week, remain in the relegation zone after a third successive defeat.
Bournemouth put under-fire Leicester boss Brendan Rodgers back on the hot seat with a 2-1 win at Dean Court.
The winning feeling. 😁#CheWol pic.twitter.com/YTML4wlCLL
— Chelsea FC (@ChelseaFC) October 8, 2022
Second bottom Leicester took the lead in the 10th minute when Patson Daka slotted home.
But Bournemouth equalised in the 67th minute through Philip Billing, who volleyed into the roof of the net following a mistake from Wout Faes.
And Ryan Christie completed Bournemouth’s comeback in the 71st minute with a close-range finish after Dominic Solanke flicked on Billing’s cross.
Having won for the first time this season on Monday, Leicester have lost seven of their last eight games.
Fifth placed Newcastle thrashed Brentford 5-1 at St James’ Park.
Eddie Howe’s men went ahead after 22 minutes when Bruno Guimaraes headed in from Kieran Trippier’s cross.
Six minutes later, Callum Wilson crossed for Jacob Murphy to tap into the empty net.
Ivan Toney reduced the deficit with a 54th minute penalty awarded for a handball by Dan Burn, but Guimaraes’ long-range blast restored Newcastle’s two-goal advantage two minutes later.
Miguel Almiron struck in the 81st minute and Ethan Pinnock’s 90th minute own goal completed Brentford’s dismal day.
Premier League 3pm results:
Bournemouth 2-1 Leicester
Chelsea 3-0 Wolves
Man City 4-0 Southampton
Newcastle 5-1 Brentford
