Southampton beat Manchester City 4-2 in an exciting match on Sunday, Saido Mane's hat-trick making the big difference.
Ronald Koeman made three changes, whilst Manchester City made eight, as Manuel Pellegrini's side are due to play a UEFA Champions League semi-final second leg against Real Madrid in three days time.
Jordy Clasie, Cuco Martina, and Mane were in the starting line-up for the Saints as Cedric, Oriol Romeu and Jay Rodriguez were all dropped to the bench.
Attacking play from the outset
Mane caused a number of problems for the City back and goalkeeper Joe Hart and Shane Long, in the best form, was also proving to be a nuisance for the visitors.
Despite commanding the game, Fraser Forster was called into action with a terrific save to hinder the visitors attempted ploy to take the lead. Iheanacho got the better of Virgil van Dijk before pulling it back for Raheem Sterling, but Forster did well to save his England teammate’s effort.
It was the Saints who took the lead, through a Martina long ball over the top which found Dusan Tadic to pass to Long who was in the right place at the right time to tap the ball through the legs of Hart.
Tadic grabbed his second assist of the game three minutes later as the hosts doubled their lead, the Serbian fed the ball through the City backline for the fast moving Mane who with conviction converted his third goal in as many games.
Just before the break the hosts had their lead halved as Kelechi Iheanacho headed home from close range following a troubling cross into the box from Samir Nasri.
A stunning second half
The original shot by Van Dijk’s open header, from a Steven Davis corner, was saved by Hart, but the loose ball ricocheted off the cross bar which found Mane who smashed home the ball.
The frustrated van Dijk was denied again by the hands of Hart, the defender produced a daring overhead kick which was tipped over the bar by the 'keeper.
Mane grabbed the second hat-trick of his Saints career, scoring the fourth goal. Tadic created another chance, as he played the winger in, Mane showing real self-control to put the ball beyond Hart.
City finally found the back of the net once with ten minutes remaining. Iheanacho found himself in plenty of space just on the edge of the box and curled a brilliant shot beyond Forster for this second goal of the afternoon.
That was the end of the encounter for City, as the Saints saw the game out, with the luck on their side as they held out the advances of the Sky Blues to make it back-to-back 4-2 wins to move into seventh and seven wins in nine games at St Mary’s.