Manchester City made light work of Southampton as three goals inside the opening 18 minutes put them in complete control en route to a 6-1 win.
A Wesley Hoedt own goal was quickly followed by a Sergio Aguero strike before David Silva added a third.
Southampton did pull a goal back through a Danny Ings penalty — the first City have conceded in the league since Sept. 1 — but Raheem Sterling put any suggestion of a comeback to bed with a fourth in first-half stoppage time.
He then added a fifth after the break and Sane made it six in stoppage time.
City were on top right from kick-off with Sterling and Aguero proving difficult to handle for the Southampton defence; and just five minutes in, had taken the lead.
Aguero passed to Silva, who fed Leroy Sane out wide. The Germany international played a short ball across goal and Hoedt diverted it into the back of his own net.
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Relentless City doubled their lead six minutes later as Sterling drove into the Southampton box. The ex-Liverpool man then knocked the ball back for Aguero to put away from close range for his 150th Premier League goal.
And it was soon three, with Sterling involved again. He chipped the ball over for Sane, who was beaten in the air.
However, it fell kindly for Silva to lash into the roof of the net. Mark Hughes’ men looked set for a long afternoon, but were given a chance to reduce the deficit 11 minutes later.
Ederson, who had had very little to do up to this point, was too slow in coming out and caught Ings as he raced onto a pass into the box. The referee pointed to the spot and the on-loan Liverpool forward dusted himself down and sent the Brazilian the wrong way to make it 3-1.
City continued to dominate, despite conceding, and showed their superiority with a passage of play inside their opponents’ penalty area. First Sterling, then Sane, then Silva and then Aguero beat three men each in a game of
keep-ball before it fell to Kyle Walker, whose effort is wide of the post.
City scored a fourth in first-half stoppage time after Aguero had robbed Cedric Soares as the Southampton defender was attempting to usher the ball out for a corner. The Agrentine then sent in a low cross for Sterling, who tucked the ball home with his second attempt.
And it was five on 67 minutes with the same combination linking again for Sterling to fire past Alex McCarthy from an angle.
Sane added a sixth in stoppage time to improve City’s goal difference even further as they returned to the top of the Premier League table.
