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Manchester City hosted Southampton with the desire to extend their lead at the top of the table to 14 points after Manchester United cut their lead last week.
Southampton started brightly and was all over City. They outplayed them but still couldn't make any meaningful attack out of their dominance.
City took the lead in the 14th minute when Dias found Zinchenko with a long pass. He chested it and found Foden in the box. Foden's shot was saved by the goalkeeper but De Bruyne was on hand to turn home the rebound with the help of the crossbar to register his 4th goal of the season. A great goal to calm the nerves down and make City settle better into the game.
In the 24th minute, Redmond was played through and his curling effort was saved for a corner by Ederson. The resulting corner however led to a penalty as Vestergaard was pulled in the box. Ward-Prowse stepped up and hit his effort straight down at the middle to make it 1-1.
A back pass from Salisu was is controlled by the goalkeeper which allowed Foden to pounce in the 31st minute. There was a shout for a penalty as it was adjudged that the goalkeeper got Foden as he later rose to his feet but it was not given. 2 minutes after, Redmond found Adams who then set up Ward-Prowse. His effort was a dipping one and it was saved by the goalkeeper.
In the 35th minute too, Southampton had a free-kick which deflected off for a corner kick. Djenepo also had a brilliant effort to go wide right in the box. It would have been a lovely goal. Southampton clearly outplaying City but they aren't making good their chances.
Adams made a terrible mistake when he played the ball into the hands of Mahrez who had to go all the way and produce a curling effort to give his side the lead again. It was a beautiful goal from him, 2-1 in the 40th minute. Mahrez produced another dazzling foot when he waltzes into the opposition box but his effort was saved by the goalkeeper but Gundogan was on hand to turn home the rebound to make it 3-1 and Gundogan's 14th of the season while 12 are from the Premier League.
In the 55th minute, Mahrez got his 9th goal of the season as Salisu's clearance was pounced on. Foden was found and he found Mahrez in the box. He brilliantly turned and found space before firing home his shot to make it 4-1. Not long after, Southampton responded to half the deficit with Adams' brilliant shot in the box, 4-2.
It's a crazy game with lovely attacking moves from both sides. Golden almost made it 5 in the 57th minute but his effort was saved but 2 minutes after, De Bruyne wasn't to be denied and he made it 5-2. City came close a few more times to increase their lead to 6 but they couldn't get that cutting edge.
City battered Southampton and Mahrez was on fire on the night. Credit to Southampton, they didn't come to sit back. They gave City a run for their money. If only they took their chances earlier, City could have been in trouble but City showed why they deserved to be champions tonight.
City moved back to 14 points at the top of the table pending when United would play their own game too. They are now 6 games away from being crowned Champions mathematically. Let's see how the rest of the season goes.
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