Manchester City kept their top-four aspirations alive when they secured a comfortable 3-0 victory against Southampton in a Premier League encounter at St Mary’s Stadium on Saturday evening.

The Citizens got off to a bright start and almost took the lead in the fourth minute when a good combination of play between David Silva and Gael Chicy saw the latter whip in a good ball into the area which Sergio Aguero just flashed past the post.

Aguero proved wasteful in the opening ten minutes as he missed a number of opportunities to give his side the lead in quick succession.

The home side were gifted with their first chance of the game in the 15th minute when Manolo Gabbiadini’s square ball into the area found Dusan Tadic unmarked in the area, but the Serbian blasted his effort over the target.

City came agonisingly close to breaking the deadlock in the 28th minute when Kevin De Bruyne was played in on-goal by Silva, but the Belgium international’s shot was saved by Fraser Forster.

The visitors were unlucky not to have taken the lead on the stroke of half-time when Aguero’s brilliant turn-of-pace saw him skin his defender before laying the ball off to Silva, who placed his effort wide with the goal begging at his mercy.

Defender Vincent Kompany put City ahead in the 56th minute when he rose highest to head home a corner to score his first goal in twenty months, which sparked massive celebrations from both the player and fans.

Southampton gave a good display of themselves and often carved the City defence open, but were let down by some wasteful finishing from Maya Yoshida and Nathan Redmond.

The visitors were made to pay for their poor-finishing when Leroy Sane made it 2-0 for City in the 77th minute after a swift counter-attack saw De Bruyne unselfishly tee-up the German.

Pep Guardiola’s side further extended their lead three minutes later when De Bruyne’s cross into the area was brilliantly headed in by Aguero, who evaded the attention of two defenders.

City played the remaining minutes of the encounter with little pressure as they ran out 3-0 victors to maintain their aspirations of a top-four finish in the Premier League.

Photo: EPA/Facundo Arrizabalaga