Team huddles, a sub snub and Sav steps it up with a great performance

CITY continued their unbeaten run with a home win over struggling Southampton – but the result doesn’t tell the full story of an afternoon where they struggled to kill off the visitors.

- JOE BRAY

Erling Haaland’s early goal proved enough for the win, with Southampton looking better than their league position suggests.

They enjoyed more of the ball in the first half and hit the bar shortly before the break and when City searched for a second goal to kill the game they stood firm and got bodies in the way.

But City did enough to prevent any late equaliser and moved top of the Premier League ahead of rivals Liverpool and Arsenal playing each other on Sunday.

These are the moments you might have missed.

■GUARDIOLA’S LAST-MINUTE HUDDLE BEFORE RESTART

City went into the half-time break ahead but not fully in control. Southampton had more of the ball in the first half and smashed the bar with the last kick of the opening period to send a reminder of their abilities. Until then they hadn’t had a shot, but Guardiola had seen enough to be worried.

It was similar to the Sparta Prague game – a 1-0 advantage but a stubborn opposition – and the message at half-time was to keep calm.

Maybe that was the instruction here, but Guardiola made sure every player got the gist by gathering them in the mouth of the tunnel just before the restart.