1. Manchester City can turn it on when they have to
Manchester City are a mood team. If their mentality is right, then they are just as formidable as Chelsea but they have approached matches in the wrong frame of mind on too many occasions this season and suffered as a consequence. However Southampton should have had a sense of foreboding after Chelsea drew at Sunderland on Saturday. City have a history of pouncing when their rivals drop points – they flew out of the traps at Crystal Palace last season after watching the title slip out of Liverpool’s grasp against Chelsea – and it was immediately clear that their focus was absolute. Southampton were not allowed any time to establish their passing rhythm as City asserted their authority. This was their most accomplished performance of the season by a considerable distance.
2. Touré is working up a head of steam at just the right time
Yaya Touré’s commitment and effectiveness have been questioned repeatedly since the summer but his winner against Swansea City suggested that he was rumbling into top gear at last and so it proved at St Mary’s. A powerful early run that forced Victor Wanyama to take a booking was a positive sign and Touré worked hard with Fernandinho to deny Southampton space in midfield, before crunching in the opener from 20 yards. It was a typical Touré moment. Disappointing as he has been, City know that they can rely on him to come up with a crucial goal in a big match.
3. Pellè’s goals have dried up just when Saints need them most
Although the quality of City’s football was admirable, Southampton will have regrets. Perhaps the magnitude of the occasion spooked them and a worry for Ronald Koeman is that Graziano Pellè has stopped scoring. The goals have dried up for the Italian in the past five matches and, when he did shake off Vincent Kompany and Eliaquim Mangala, whose red card seemed a little incongruous given that his was a mostly assured display, he wasted a chance to give Southampton the lead in the first half. He would not be the first foreign striker to fade after a good start in English football.
4. Koeman’s side have to recover quickly for trip to Arsenal
Southampton do not have much time to get this defeat out of their system. They visit Arsenal on Wednesday night and they will need to play with more composure than they managed against City; Koeman will not be pleased with his side’s lack of positional discipline after Mangala was sent off. However that may have been down to the loss of Morgan Schneiderlin at half-time because of a thigh injury. With Jack Cork unavailable because of illness, Southampton were forced to move Toby Alderweireld into midfield, a reminder that their squad may not be big enough for a top-four challenge. They will be desperate to have Schneiderlin and Cork back against Arsenal and for Dusan Tadic to shake off the malaise that has affected him in the past few matches.
5. Agüero remains an influence even when he does not score
Where were you when Sergio Agüero missed a one-on-one? A rare event indeed but Agüero’s contribution was still vital. A constant thorn in Southampton’s side, he was wrongly booked for diving when José Fonte fouled him in the area and showed another side of his game by creating goals for Touré and Gaël Clichy. The assist for Clichy, a cross that was delivered with the outside of his right foot, was wonderful. For once Agüero did not score but City could not have done what they did without him.
