Sadio Mane hat-trick sinks miserable Manchester City

In a season where we’ve seen the triumph of the counter-attack, it was refreshing to see a game with such an aggressive attacking side rewarded for their efforts as Southampton beat Manchester City 4-2.

Southampton made some errors possession and some of their finishing was wayward, but they still completely outclassed City in the first half through sheer unrelenting pressure with Dusan Tadic, Shane Long and Sadio Mane shining again.

City had bigger fish to fry, resting many of their star players for the second-leg of their Champions League semi-final against Real Madrid in the week, though Kelechi Iheanacho clawed a goal back in response to Southampton’s opening two goals from Long and Mane on the stroke of half-time.

In the second half, City approached the game with more urgency and it looked as if Southampton could crumble under the pressure of maintaining the lead. But their third goal – scored by Mane – though it wasn’t pretty, did the trick and gave them a renewed sense of confidence to go on and score again 10 minutes later as Mane wrapped up his hat-trick.

Iheanacho scored again to lessen the widening gap but it was too little too late. City are now four points ahead of Manchester United, who have three games to play to their two.

City to suffer hangover? Though this game in particular provokes a fair bit of discussion – can Southampton make it into Europe next season as they chase their best ever Premier League finish; do Man City amount to much without their few shining stars – we will lead with the obvious. What kind of psychological impact will such a defeat have on City as they go into the second leg of their Champions League semi-final against Real Madrid?

Sadio Mane (Southampton): A number of players shone for the Saints, but none as brightly as hat-trick scoring Mane whose last goal from an impressive run on goal was particularly entertaining.

Southampton: Forster 6, Clasie 7, Fonte 7, Long 8, S.Davis 7, Mane 8, Tadic 7, Wanyama 7, Martina 7, Van Dijk 7, Bertrand 7. Subs: Rodriguez NA, Romeu 7, Ward-Prowse NA.

Man City: Hart 6, Kolarov 7, Mangala 6, Otamendi 7, Zabaleta 6, Sterling 6, Delph 6, Fernandinho 6, Nasri 6, Bony 6, Iheanacho 8. Subs: Demichelis NA, Fernando NA, Navas NA.

24’ - GOAL! Shane Long scores for Southampton! Tadic flicks it back from the far side of the net and Long runs right on to it to score his 13th of the season.

28’ - GOAL! Sadio Mane with a second goal for Southampton in the space of four minutes. The ball is played forward into the area just from the far corner and a lovely strike by Mane gives him his 12th of the season.

44’ - GOAL! The crowd does not go wild as Iheanacho heads the ball in the back of the net, despite a good finish.

57’ - GOAL! A corner taken by Davis flies into the box, Van Dijk gets his head to it first, but it deflects. A bit messy, but Mane eventually gets his head to it and taps it in the net. 3-1 to Southampton.

68’ - GOAL! A swift counter-attack by the Saints sees a great run on the ball by Mane. City can't catch him and Hart goes down just a second too early. Hat trick for Mane - surely that's the game over?

78’ - GOAL! Iheanacho is on the edge of the box to receive a cross which he curls into the top-far corner of the net - it's a lovely finish and really he's been the only watchable component of City's team today.

Saints have lost only one Premier League match in which Saido Mane scored, a 2-1 defeat at Sunderland on 2 May 2015.