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Erling Haaland scored the only goal of the game as Manchester City defeated Southampton 1-0 to go top of the Premier League.
Manchester City were not at their swashbuckling best, but one goal was all they needed to return to the summit of the Premier League albeit temporarily.
The pattern of the game settled quickly, and perhaps as expected as the champions dominated proceedings.
Guardiola's men took the lead early as Erling Haaland wrestled past Jan Bednarek to tap in a close-range goal from Matheus Nunes’ cross.
Nunes, making his first league start, almost turned scorer moments later with a shot that narrowly missed.
To their credit, Southampton held their ground defensively for the rest of the first half, showing resilience instead of folding under pressure.
The second half, though, remained the same as the hosts controlled in search of a second goal.
Phil Foden’s early attempt skimmed wide, and Haaland missed a couple of close chances, including one off a precise cross from Savinho.
Yet, Southampton never posed a real threat to City’s lead, with a lackluster attack that allowed City to comfortably close out the win, sending them top of the table above Liverpool who face Arsenal on Sunday.
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