Manchester City scored three second-half goals to beat Southampton and move back into third place as the Premier League begins to reach it's home stretch.

City needed a win to solidify their place in the top four and that's what they got as goals from Vincent Kompany, Leroy Sane and Sergio Aguero moved them back above Liverpool.

Chances for both in goalless first-half

Aguero looked lively early on, with three shots in 10 minutes not testing Fraser Forster, despite the Argentine being presented with one very good chance in particular inside the area after some poor distribution from Forster.

The best chance of the opening exchanges was to fall at the other end. Dominating possession, City had their pockets picked in midfield and Saints broke with purpose, nice work from Nathan Redmond resulting in Manolo Gabbiadini pulling the ball back for Dusan Tadic, who struck over when he had time to control the ball.

Despite being on the receiving end of that chance, City continued pressing forward and really should have gone into half-time at least a goal up.

Aguero's fancy footwork helped him get past two down the left channel, before a fantastic clipped ball across the box found an unmarked Davis Silva at the back-post. With no challenger around him as every defender focused on Aguero, Silva should have buried it but was wasteful as he struck into the side-netting.

Sane wanted a penalty, Kompany a goal

That miss wouldn't have mattered minutes later if City had been awarded a penalty when Leroy Sane used his pace to burst into the box, looking to round Fraser Forster before seemingly having the ball clawed away by the goalkeeper. However, replays showed that Forster hadn't touched the ball, instead bringing Sane down, the German unlucky to not win a spot kick.

For all the fancy footwork and intricate play mustered up by the visitors, it was through a corner kick that they eventually took the lead 10 minutes into the second-half.

Jesus Navas' long range effort forced a corner as Forster tipped over comfortably, but there was nothing comfortable for the 'keeper as he flapped at Kompany's downward header from the resulting ball in, Forster unable to keep it out as the Belgian broke the deadlock.

Southampton bodies were thrown at the ball shortly after the goal as both Kompany and Silva had opportunities to make it two, before a poor pass from Claudio Bravo led to an opportunity being wasted by substitute Sofiane Boufal at the other end.

Bravo ensured his unwanted run of conceding from the first shot on target in games didn't continue as he grasped a header from Shane Long as Saints looked for an equaliser with the clock running down.

Two late strikes help seal points

However, unfortunately for the hosts, their attacking style would be punished by a slick City break that sealed the points for the visitors.

Sweeping up the field with one and two touch passes, Kevin de Bruyne and Leroy Sane rounded things off, de Bruyne sliding the ball across to his teammate who fired a first time shot through the legs of Fraser Forster.

City were beginning to run away with things at that point and they'd score another with 10 minutes remaining, Sergio Aguero getting in on the act.

Southampton were too slow to the ball as City moved it up the pitch, de Bruyne picking up another assist as his cross was met by the striker, powering a header into the net.

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