- City scores on 6 of 7 shots on target
- Sterling bags brace
- Saints get Ings penalty
Raheem Sterling scored twice and Manchester City played gorgeous football in a 5-1 defeat of Southampton at the Etihad Stadium on Sunday.
David Silva, Leroy Sane, and Sergio Aguero also scored for City in addition to a Wesley Hoedt own goal as the reigning champions moved two points clear of second place Liverpool.
After a Wednesday visit from Shakhtar Donetsk in the Champions League, City will host Manchester United on Sunday.
Saints are 16th, two points above the drop zone. Danny Ings penalty was their first goal in 505 minutes of Premier League play.
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An own goal put City ahead, with Aguero finding David Silva to start it. Silva’s vision to find Leroy Sane was superb, and the German’s cross was put into the goal by a sliding Hoedt.
It was 2-0 in the 12th minute, as Aguero became the second-fastest to 150 Premier League goals in league history by slamming a tight-angled Raheem Sterling pass into the goal from inside the six.
And then three: David Silva got a deserved finish of his own in the 18th minute when he reaped the rewards of Sane and Sterling production.
Saints stemmed the tide for a moment when Ryan Bertrand played Ings through on goal, and Ederson took down the English striker in the box. Ings rolled it in with class for Saints’ first PL goal in 505 minutes.
First half stoppage saw the lead return to three goals, when Aguero was given several benefits of the doubt in a touch line tussle to win possession from Cedric Soares. His cutback found Sterling, who bungled his first touch but smashed an ensuing one into the goal.
[ MORE: Latest Premier League standings ]150 - Sergio Aguero has scored his 150th Premier League goal in his 217th appearance - only Alan Shearer (212 games) has scored 150 in fewer games in Premier League history. Outstanding.
— OptaJoe (@OptaJoe) November 4, 2018
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Ederson thwarted a 47th minute chance from Saints to pull to within two, stopping Danny Ings rebound after spilling a hard shot from James Ward-Prowse.
Sterling made it 5-1 to the hosts with his second of the night and sixth of the season, and Sane was rewarded for a fine match with a goal of his own in stoppage time.