Hello and welcome to Sports Mole's live text coverage of the Premier League meeting between Manchester City and Southampton at the Etihad Stadium. The Citizens are five points clear at the top of the table with this game in hand to play, having won 12 and drawn one of their 13 matches to date, and another three-point haul tonight will see them close in on the top-flight record for the number of consecutive victories.

The visitors are hovering in mid-table after a third of the season, meanwhile, picking up a big win over Everton last time out to ease some of the growing pressure on manager Mauricio Pellegrino. All of a sudden, with that one result, things are looking up for the Saints as they are 11th in the division and can move two places with the unlikeliest of victories tonight. Stranger things have happened... I think?

MANCHESTER CITY TEAM NEWS!

STARTING XI: Ederson; Walker, Otamendi, Kompany, Delph; Fernandinho, Sterling, De Bruyne, Gundogan, Gabriel Jesus; Aguero

SUBS: Bravo, Danilo, Mangala, Bernardo, David Silva, Zinchenko, Brahim Diaz

Starting with a look at the home team news and, a little over a week after outlining why he cannot field Gabriel Jesus and Sergio Aguero in the same lineup, Pep Guardiola has done exactly that! Aguero is aiming to score in a seventh-successive league game tonight for the first time in his career, partnered by Jesus who returns to the starting XI in place of the injured Leroy Sane.

There is also a first league start of the season for Ilkay Gundogan, who fills in for the rested David Silva. Guardiola forced into one change, then, while the other comes down to fitness reasons as he faces a tough run of fixtures in the month of December. The two players coming in on the back of the 2-1 win over Huddersfield Town - Jesus and Gundogan - certainly have plenty of quality, so the transition should be seamless.

Oleksandr Zinchenko keeps his place in the matchday squad, meanwhile, and there is also a place on the bench for Brahim Diaz - the highly-rated Spaniard who has already been used a couple of times under Guardiola. John Stones and Benjamin Mendy are the other two big-name absentees for the Citizens, with the latter unlikely to return before spring. Elsewhere, there is another start for Raheem Sterling, who has netted 12 goals in 18 games - his highest-ever tally in a single campaign.

SOUTHAMPTON TEAM NEWS!

STARTING XI: Forster; Cedric, Yoshida, Van Dijk, Hoedt, Bertrand; Hojbjerg, Oriol Romeu, Lemina, Redmond; Long

SUBS: McCarthy, Davis, Austin, Tadic, Boufal, Gabbiadini, McQueen

A major boost for Saints boss Pellegrino, as he can call upon Mario Lemina from the off for the first time in five-and-a-half weeks. The summer signing, one of the most talented midfielders around, came through a cameo appearance against Everton unscathed and has been declared fit enough to start this one. Maya Yoshida, Oriol Romeu, Nathan Redmond and Shane Long also return to the starting lineup, as Pellegrino makes a raft of changes.

It may come as a bit of a surprise to see Charlie Austin left out, however, having netted a couple of goals in the 4-1 win against Everton a few days ago. In fact, the English striker has scored seven goals and set up another in his last 11 Premier League starts - a promising record, and one that suggests that he should be featuring more regularly, fitness permitting. Shane Long will instead lead the line, playing just ahead of Nathan Redmond.

What is not so surprising is the inclusion of Fraser Forster between the sticks, as he becomes just the second Southampton goalkeeper - after Paul Jones, if you were wondering - to make 100 Premier League appearances. Virgil van Dijk, Wesley Hoedt and Maya Yoshida will pack out the defence in front of him, while Cedric Soares and and Ryan Bertrand are used at wing-back - how far forward they will get remains to be seen!

Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola has made a couple of alterations to his starting lineup, bringing in Gabriel Jesus and Ilkay Gundogan for Leroy Sane and David Silva - the former coming in for his first start of the Premier League campaign. Manuel Pellegrino makes five changes in all, meanwhile, with Shane Long being preferred to Charlie Austin up top.

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There are five other fixtures taking place in the Premier League this evening, with Chelsea, Arsenal and Liverpool also in action. Each of those, as well as Manchester United in second - 4-2 winners against Watford last night - will each be praying for a Southampton result at the Etihad Stadium tonight. In fact, many neutrals will, as the Citizens are threatening to completely run away with the title at this rate.

City are on 37 points after 13 games - a Premier League record, and the best start of any top-flight side since Liverpool in 1990. From what was anticipated to be one of the closest title races in history, with as many as six sides tipped to lift the trophy come next May, it is now very much becoming a case of just how many points the Citizens will win it by! That said, defeat tonight and the Man United game early next month does become a little more interesting.

To put this into some perspective, Guardiola's men currently have five points more than the record-breaking Chelsea side of 2004-05 that went on to accrue a mammoth 95 points. They also have nine more goals at this stage that the Blues side of 2009-10 that went on to score a record 95 goals. Ninety-five appears to be the magic number; a number that the Citizens are on course to smash on both fronts if they maintain this form.

That is now the big question - just how long can they maintain this form? The debate about whether we have another Invincibles on our hands may be a little tiresome already, just three months or so into the campaign, but City do look good enough to match that Arsenal side of a little over a decade ago. Twelve wins and a draw from 13 league matches, not to mention their unbeaten record in other competitions, is mightily impressive.

This ongoing league run includes 11 victories in a row, so another record is also within sight; Arsenal's streak of 14 currently the outright best. With Southampton and West Ham United visiting here this week, there could be another little subplot heading into that potentially huge showdown with Man United at Old Trafford in a couple of week's time. City also face Tottenham Hotspur in mid-December, but those games aside they have a fairly nice festive run.

City can even afford a little blip in December and will still find themselves at the summit, sitting as they do five points clear of United with a game in hand to play. The Citizens are unbeaten in their last 26 matches in all competitions, meanwhile, stretching back to their FA Cup semi-final defeat at the hands of Arsenal in April - arguably the nadir under their Catalan boss; a defeat that left him admitting he may have been sacked at Barcelona or Bayern Munich.

As Guardiola has himself constantly stated, though, City also looked very impressive for large parts in the first half of the last campaign, but they ended the season with nothing to show for it - his first trophyless term in management. A complete overhaul at full-back - something that ideally would have been done 12 months prior - has acted as a springboard for the Citizens to push on and they now look phenomenal.

Despite their impressive run, though, Guardiola sent out a warning of sorts this week by declaring that he will "rescale" his squad during the January and summer transfer windows. That will likely mean any fringe players can make way, although on the face of it the squad seems to be working in harmony at the moment. Top of the Premier League, comfortably into the last 16 of the Champions League and quarter-finals of the EFL Cup - things really are going to plan!

City have netted 24 league goals at the Etihad Stadium this term, double the number they had scored at the same stage this time last year, but they do not boast the best home record in the division. That instead belongs to Man United, who have a perfect seven wins from seven, though Guardiola's men have by far and away the best away record, having yet to drop a single point on their travels.

Manchester City were not at their free-flowing best in their most recent outing, scraping a late 2-1 win away at Huddersfield Town. In its own way, though, that was their most impressive victory of the campaign - as Pep Guardiola himself admitted - having been forced to show serious character. Another test was passed, putting them well ahead of the chasing pack.

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PREVIOUS MEETINGS! Manchester City have won five and lost just one of their last eight Premier League meetings with Southampton, although the most recent encounter here finished in a 1-1 draw 13 months ago, before the Citizens ran out 3-0 winners at St Mary's Stadium in April. The Saints' last away win at City came in April 2004 on their first visit to the Etihad Stadium.

Southampton head to Manchester occupying 11th place in the Premier League table, seven points off the top six and six points from the relegation zone - very much a mid-table side. It is tough to ascertain exactly what a good season would be for their supporters, though playing a more attractive brand of football, and scoring far more goals than they currently are, is certainly a must for Pellegrino.

The four goals scored against Everton at the weekend - a truly terrible Everton side, it should be said - has skewed the scoring figures somewhat in that regard, though, giving Southampton 13 for the campaign. Even still, that is still a pretty bad record and was enough to see supporters grow frustrated at their manager, who was brought in to replace the bland Claude Puel. Last night's win for Leicester would not have gone unnoticed, by the way!

That is very much the cynical life of a Premier League manager. Pellegrino has certainly not done a bad job during his short stint on the South Coast - in fact, after that win over Everton he has very much lifted the Saints into the position many would have expected them to be. Their record is as consistent as their league placing would suggest - won four, drawn four and lost five - two of those defeats coming at the hands of Burnley and Liverpool recently.

The Saints have just one away win to their name under Pellegrino, coming against Crystal Palace on September 16, and they have also taken away points from Huddersfield and Brighton. With games against Man City, Arsenal, Chelsea, Spurs and Man United - a mixture of home and away - to come before the year is out, Southampton may well find themselves sliding back down the table slightly in the coming weeks.

DID YOU KNOW? Southampton are winless in 14 games against sides that finished last season in the Premier League's top six, losing 10 of those. That is almost an identical record to the one held by Leicester City, who made a mockery of that particular stat by earning a 2-1 win over Tottenham Hotspur last night. A positive for the Saints, though, is that they have only failed to score on one of their eight visits to this ground.

With kickoff at the Etihad Stadium now a little over five minutes away, let us check out some pre-match thoughts from both camps.

Pep Guardiola: "What I saw of Southampton this season, I saw many things - and [Pellegrino] made an amazing job at Alaves last season. We were together one or two seasons. It was an amazing experience. We were all the time together. He was so curious about football. It's been a long time since I've seen him. Tomorrow will be an opportunity after the game to speak a little bit."

Mauricio Pellegrino: "The Everton game can help us to play with more confidence, especially at home where I think we've been unfortunate at times. We must build on that brilliant result now against Man City. Pep Guardiola and I won the league together at Barcelona. It was a beautiful moment in my career. He deserves admiration for his results. Everyone can learn from him at the moment."

Pellegrino and Guardiola spent one season together at Barcelona during the Catalan giants' title-winning campaign of 1998-99. Pellegrino revealed in the build-up to this match that he takes inspiration from his former teammate, in fact, although he would no doubt love to get one over on him tonight to truly kickstart his own career back in English football. Three points here would be an almighty statement to send out.

Guardiola is certainly excited about the prospect of facing off against Pellegrino - one of many former Barcelona players he has come up against during his managerial career to date. On paper this should be a comfortable night for the Citizens, who have shipped just eight goals all season - two of those own goals - but the Saints also have a bit of momentum after stuffing Everton 4-1 a few days ago.

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KICKOFF! We are up and running at the Etihad Stadium, where Manchester City are aiming to strengthen their hold on top spot by winning a 12th Premier League game in a row. Southampton, on the other hand, will surely welcome a point.

SAVE! A first save of many made by Forster, you feel, as he gets down to keep out a Fabian Delph drive in a fairly routine manner. Not the worst attempt from the makeshift full-back, who has been one of the most improved players of the campaign.

It has been quite a frustrating start for the unbeaten home side, in truth, as Southampton - with five at the back tonight, remember - giving them very little time on the ball. As ever, the opening goal will be vital in this fixture.

Seven minutes on the clock and City continuing to probe away in search for that breakthrough goal. Southampton are not the first team to sit deep against the Citizens this term, of course, can they become just the second to earn a point?

Home fans already growing frustrated at the tactics deployed by Southampton, with the Saints producing a number of niggling fouls early on to break up play. Incredibly stop-start at the moment, but the Citizens will surely still grow into it.

SHOT! Not the worst attempt by Fernandinho, who blasted the ball towards goal after Aguero's initial shot was blocked on the edge of the area. Even when play is being disrupted, the Citizens still managing to look dangerous.

OFF THE BAR! Big chance for Southampton to open the scoring, as Wesley Hoedt heads Ryan Bertrand's delivery against the crossbar. Aguero and Jesus then denied by Forster in quick succession at the end of a swift counter.

City with a few shots on target already, then, but it is arguably Southampton who have come closest to a breakthrough goal via that Hoedt header. As it is, we remain all square with 15 minutes of the contest played in Manchester.

SAVE! City with an incredible number of bodies free in and around the box. De Bruyne eventually slips it into the path of Fernandinho, whose shot is well saved by Forster. From the corner, Otamendi headed the ball over from close range.

It was actually Otamendi, and not Aguero, who wasted that decent chance a few moments ago. The Citizens really beginning to click into gear now, having been given a scare by Southampton after Hoedt hit the crossbar with his header.

Long using his pace in an attempt to get in behind the opposition defence, but Ederson was there to collect the ball. Well anticipated by the Brazil to get to it ahead of the pacy Long, who is favoured to Charlie Austin tonight.

City going back to the probing football now, which is not getting them anywhere fast at the moment. A frenetic 10-minute spell in the match, in which both sides came close, has been followed up by a quieter spell over the last few moments.

SAVE! Forster making save after save in the opening 25 minutes of the match, keeping out Aguero down low and then seeing Gundogan blast into the side-netting from the follow-up. Half the ground thought that was a goal!

Southampton have managed to keep the scores level with close to a third of the match played, then, having seen Forster come to their rescue on a few occasions. That Hoedt chance seems like a long time ago all of a sudden, with City looking impressive since then.

City have had six attempts so far, with four of those - including two in the space of a few seconds - finding the target. Southampton have had just the one attempt, which came back off the frame of Ederson's goal in a let-off for the hosts.

The longer this one remains goalless the more frustrated the home fans will become at Southampton's tactics, but it is far too early for that to be a concern. City should really already be a goal up, having created a few big chances.

The Saints taking as much time as possible over every decision that goes their way, being greeted by widespread boos around the Etihad Stadium. From pretty much out of nothing, the visitors win a corner which is headed clear at the front post.

CHANCE! Well City have had their chances, but so to have Southampton. Lemina tricks his way into the box and forces a save out of Ederson, before Yoshida volleyed over from a Van Dijk knockdown moments later. Big, big opportunity!

YELLOW CARD! Vincent Kompany becomes the first player to be shown a yellow card by referee Paul Tierney after halting the run of Long through on goal. All of a sudden, we have a very balanced contest on our hands here.

SHOT! City seriously racking up the shots now, with De Bruyne barely testing Forster from this latest attempt from range. Half time fast approaching and the Citizens have ultimately been left frustrated on home soil thus far.

Not seen a great deal of in-form winger Sterling down the right so far; the ball has spent far more time out on the opposite flank, where Jesus has been tasked with drifting wide. City with nine shots this half, six of which have been on target.

City looking as though they will go into the break all square, which is better than they managed at the John Smith's Stadium a few days ago! De Bruyne with another shot that deflects wide. Corner is eventually taken after a pitch invader is captured.

Two minutes of added time to be played at the end of the opening 45 minutes. City have looked a little stagnant on the whole this evening, but they have still created a few clear-cut chances which they have ultimately failed to take.

Referee Paul Tierney blows for half time at the Etihad Stadium, where Manchester City have been unable to find a way through Southampton. The Citizens accrued seven shots on target in the opening 45 minutes, but Southampton twice came close at the other end of the field.

The first of the hosts' seven on-target attempts in the first half arrived just a few minutes in via the boot of Fabian Delph, who forced nothing more than a routine stop out of Fraser Forster. England international Forster also had to be alert to keep out Fernandinho later in the half, before Nicolas Otamendi helped the ball over the crossbar from close range.

Southampton had a big chance to open the scoring 15 minutes into the contest, however, after Wesley Hoedt got on the end of Ryan Bertrand's corner but headed it back against the woodwork. Normal service was resumed soon after, with Gabriel Jesus and Sergio Aguero - paired in tandem tonight due to the absence of Leroy Sane - denied by Forster in quick succession.

Fernandinho and Kevin De Bruyne also had fairly weak attempts kept out, and the missed openings so nearly proved costly when Maya Yoshida volleyed over from a good position after Mario Lemina - back in the starting lineup after more than five weeks away - also had a close-range shot turned behind. City the better side on the whole, then, but the Saints will also argue that they should have netted at least once.

BENCH WATCH!

MANCHESTER CITY SUBS: Bravo, Danilo, Mangala, Bernardo, David Silva, Zinchenko, Brahim Diaz

SOUTHAMPTON SUBS: McCarthy, Davis, Austin, Tadic, Boufal, Gabbiadini, McQueen

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RESTART! We are back under way at the Etihad Stadium, where neither manager has made a change at the half-time interval. Little surprising in Man City's case - they really missed David Silva in that first half at times.

Well that didn't take long! Frustrated for 45 minutes in the first half, City require just a minute or so of the second to find a breakthrough. De Bruyne with the free-kick delivery; Otamendi with the first-time finish from three yards.

CHANCE! Bit of confusion over that first goal - and I wasn't alone, in my defence! - as it actually came off Van Dijk's leg and not Otamendi's. Jesus so close to a second, sending the ball inches wide from the left-hand side.

So Van Dijk's own goal proving the difference between the two sides at this point. The points are not in the bag for the hosts just yet, though, as Southampton created some good chances in the opening 45 minutes of the contest.

City looking good value to secure a 12th win in succession, but Guardiola will want a second before he can start breathing a little easier. Gundogan attempts to find a second goal, sending his swerving shot away from the intended target.

It will be interesting to see what changes Pellegrino makes as we approach the hour mark. His gameplan was working well enough with half the game gone, but his plans have been disrupted by that Van Dijk own goal a minute into the second half.

SAVES! Forster, who has not always been at his best this calendar year, produces two stunning stops to deny City a second. First, the Englishman made himself big to deny Jesus from a one-on-one position; then he recovered to turn De Bruyne's belter over.

Those saves from Forster came as a direct result of his side losing possession in their own half. The Citizens really closing in on a second now, which they may well need - Southampton do tend to score when they visit The Etihad.

Ederson reads the danger well to help his side out at the back. Over an hour played now in Manchester but we have still yet to see either manager make a change; both clearly happy enough with the way things are panning out.

The early kickoffs in the Premier League are approaching full time, but they barely matter at this point as far as Man City are concerned because they are well in front of the chasing pack. Half a chance for Aguero, who heads over at the front post.

SOUTHAMPTON SUB! Hojbjerg makes way for Boufal with around 25 minutes left to play at the Etihad Stadium. Visiting boss Pellegrino left a few of his big hitters in reserve, so do not write them off just yet. Plenty of time to go!

YELLOW CARD! Shane Long is the second player of the evening to be cautioned - and the first for Southampton - after catching Otamendi fairly late. Guardiola holding off from making his first change of the contest.

De Bruyne goes down under contact from Boufal, but clearly not enough for Paul Tierney to penalise the Saints ace. City have now managed 20 shots, more than half of which - 11 to be precise - have been on Fraser Forster's goal.

CHANCE! Southampton want a penalty after Hoedt's shot strikes Kompany's hand on its way behind from a corner. Not in the view of the ref, though another chance from the corner as Van Dijk heads over the crossbar when running onto the ball.

De Bruyne with another goalbound shot from the edge of the box, which clips the head of Bertrand and goes behind for a corner. City looking lively though, as mentioned countless times, a one-goal lead may not be enough for them to see this one through.

MANCHESTER CITY SUB! David Silva, who many felt was destined to come on at half time, is introduced with 15 minutes left to play. Gabriel Jesus, unable to add to his scoring tally tonight, makes way in a slight tactical shuffle.

A one-goal lead always looked a little weak as far as City are concerned, and so it has proved as Oriol Romelu has rifled the ball home to level things up. Great work by Boufal in the build-up to bring the ball under control and lay it off for his teammate, who struck home first time via the bar.

Pellegrino was about to bring on Austin and Tadic in an attack-minded double change, but that was before Romeu swept home the leveller. All eyes on Guardiola now, who appears ready to bring on Bernardo Silva in his second alteration of the night.

MANCHESTER CITY SUB! Gundogan, starting his first Premier League game in nearly a year tonight, makes way for Bernardo Silva in that second City change. Less than 10 minutes now remaining for the home side to find a late winner.

Man United won last night, while Arsenal, Liverpool and Chelsea are ahead this evening - maybe we will have a title race, after all! All those sides will be cheering on the Saints, who are seven minutes away from a huge result.

SOUTHAMPTON SUB! Shane Long's goal drought goes on, as he makes way for Charlie Austin. The Irishman has done well up top this evening, to be fair, though Austin does provide an added goal threat for these closing minutes.

Silva and Sterling with impressive link-up play inside the box, with the latter getting the better of Cedric Soares but failing to pick out a corner. A corner is won, though, from which Forster does well to command his box and collect the ball.

SOUTHAMPTON SUB! Southampton on the brink of becoming just the second side this season to prevent Man City from winning. Home fans urging their players on, but it is looking like this one will end in frustration as Cedric Soares is replaced by Sam McQueen.

Southampton not really interested in snatching a late winner against the unbeaten pacesetters, instead focusing on holding on to this precious points. Four more minutes of added time to be played at the Etihad Stadium... this one is not over just yet!

Lamina proving a real menace down the left, refusing to let City clear their lines. The ball has spent a fair bit of time in the hosts' half of the field, so Southampton are actually looking pretty comfortable at the moment.

A sensational strike from Sterling keeps City's winning run intact! The sign of champions? With five minutes of added time played, the Englishman curled the ball out of Forster's reach in spectacular fashion to surely win this match.

The full-time whistle sounds at the Etihad Stadium, bringing an end to a thrilling contest. Oriol Romeu looked to have scored the goal that would end City's winning run at 18 matches in all competitions, but up popped Raheem Sterling at the very death to earn his side yet another victory.

That concludes Sports Mole's live text coverage of events at the Etihad Stadium. An on-the-whistle report can be found by clicking here, while reaction from a select few Premier League games can be found elsewhere on the site shortly. Thanks for joining!