Southampton 1-4 Manchester City: Erling Haaland’s acrobatic goal the pick of the bunch for visitors

There’s an aura of inevitability around Erling Haaland. Whether defenders stalk his every move or stand off him, the outcome will be the same. Whether he is limited to single figures for touches of the ball or he richly impacts the build-up, the outcome will be the same.

Like death and taxes, Haaland tipping games in City’s favour is becoming one of life’s certainties. He scored with his first sniff of goal here and then added another with an audacious overhead kick to take his tally to 44 for the season, 30 of which in the Premier League.

Let’s take a moment to digest those numbers. Thirty league goals in his debut campaign, a figure so few have managed to hit, and now just four away from Mo Salah’s season record of 34. Remember when some jokers reckoned City were better without him in the side?

‘As a top scorer we lived two incredible decades with Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi but (Haaland) is on that level,’ said a purring Pep Guardiola. ‘He scores a lot of goals. The numbers he has at his age are unbelievable.’

As he peeled off to celebrate his brace, with his trademark Zen celebration, one wondered about the levels Haaland can hit but more so, the heights he can fire City to in the short-term future.

Kevin De Bruyne got his 100th Premier League assist, setting up Haaland’s opener, as the Belgian played a phenomenal game

Pep Guardiola substituted Haaland off the pitch following his second goal, but replacement Julian Alvarez scored a penalty

The champions didn’t pay a £51million fee for Haaland to win regulation games against lowly opposition but instead to tip matches like Tuesday, against German giants Bayern Munich, in their favour. What must Thomas Tuchel think watching this performance?

With two legs against Bayern to come, as well as an FA Cup semi-final at Wembley and a potentially-decisive title tussle with Arsenal in Manchester, Haaland and Co still have the chance of a historic Treble. Why shouldn’t they fancy themselves in this form?

As pollen counts rise and the nights get longer, spring is often also the time that City start purring. So frequently across Guardiola’s time, his team have blown away all in front of him – domestically at least – in April and May.

This win marked their first five-game winning run since last spring. In the second half especially, they were at their breathtaking best, with Jack Grealish’s impact on the team growing by the week. No one is talking about him as a £100million flop any more, are they?

Grealish played the pass that unlocked Saints’ stubborn defence for the first goal on the stroke of half-time, fizzing a pass to Kevin De Bruyne who teed up Haaland. It was De Bruyne’s 100th Premier League assist and seventh for Haaland this season. Again, inevitable.

‘Erling scores a lot of goals – it’s insane,’ said De Bruyne. ‘If we create chances, he will be there. It’s a good combination, he knows what I want to do, I know what he wants to do. This year has been pretty good and for him I think it’s amazing.’

It was Grealish at the heart of everything good for City, with Southampton bizarrely allowing him expanses of space. Full-back Ainsley Maitland-Niles will see the Grealish in his dreams this week after a tormenting day. Grealish added a goal of his own early in the second half.

Then he capped off a fine performance with a deft chip into Haaland’s path for the third. The lanky Norwegian threw his meaty frame in the air and connected perfectly with the airborne ball to score. When one saw him attempt the audacious finish, there was never any doubt.

Arsenal fans watching at home would feel ominous of City’s ruthless second half but the first 45 minutes might have caused reason for optimism, with the champions sloppy at times. With a bit of luck, Southampton would have taken the lead on 16 minutes.

Kamaldeen Sulemana squandered a gilt-edged opportunity after Kevin De Bruyne gifted possession to the Ghanaian. He charged through on goal but was unsure of himself, allowing Nathan Ake to catch up and Ederson to close him down and save.

Sekou Mara came off the bench to score for Southampton, but it was just a solitary consolation for the bottom club

Kamaldeen Sulemana had an exceptional chance for the Saints after a blistering run, but was unable to finish it off

The result leaves Ruben Selles’ side two points behind 19th-placed Leicester City at the foot of the Premier League table

It was the sort of miss that sums up Southampton’s season, as Ruben Selles’ side also failed to get on the end of a couple of venomous crosses. With Che Adams injured, they played without an out-and-out No 9 and it was evident, with no players gambling on decent balls.

‘This team needs time and we are getting there,’ said Selles. He is right – his team looked better here, but that’s not enough at this time of the season with them rock bottom. City fans taunted them with chants of ‘Erling Haaland, he’s scored more than you’. Thirty to 24, for the record.

Substitute Sekou Mara pulled one goal back on 72 minutes but any hopes of a late fightback were dashed less than two minutes later when Julian Alvarez converted a penalty to make it 4-1, his 13th goal of the season. Not bad for a bit-part player.

So as Haaland won this game with a streak of inevitability for City, one wondered what was next in his sights? Fifty goals for the season? Haunting his old foes Bayern Munich? Salah’s record? A historic Treble? Two decades of dominance like Messi and Ronaldo? Don’t rule anything out.