Southampton

This is the statement Southampton have just released to announce the sacking of manager Mauricio Pellegrino:

"Southampton Football Club can today confirm that it has parted company with First Team Manager Mauricio Pellegrino.

"Assistant Manager Carlos Compagnucci and Assistant First Team Coach Xavier Tamarit have also parted company with the club.

"We would like to place on record our thanks to Mauricio, Carlos and Xavier for their efforts during their time with Southampton, and wish them well for the future.

"The club will look to appoint a new management team as soon as possible, with the search for a replacement already underway."

Another one bites the dust.

Southampton

Here's some news for you...

Southampton have sacked manager Mauricio Pellegrino.

Rich applause from the home fans. Stoke have tried hard, no doubts.

It's getting a bit niggly. Good to see. Kevin de Bruyne is caught late in midfield but play goes on, Badou Ndiaye does well to track back and win the ball but then gives it instantly away. De Bruyne is back on his feet to barge Moritz Bauer off the ball.

Anon: City please score a second. Quickly.

David: Come on City stop messing around and get the second goal.

That Stoke chance has woken the visitors back up, they look dangerous again now. Kevin de Bruyne stands up a cross to the back post and Leroy Sane tries a very ambitious volley but hooks it wide.

Gareth Bale scored one from there a few years back.

That's great again from David Silva, pirouetting on the ball inside the area and lifting his head to find Fernandinho on the fringe of the box. The Brazilian bends in a low shot which Jack Butland deals with nicely, pushing it round.

Robbie Savage
Ex-Leicester City & Wales midfielder on BBC Radio 5 live

Stoke have gone long all of a sudden.

Two long ball from Butland has caused City problems, they’ve made mistakes.

Better from Stoke, direct football like we saw years ago from them.

Liverpool couldn't deal with the long ball, and maybe that's the way to Manchester City's heart too.

Stoke have definitely gone route one and it is paying dividends. Ederson has to race out of his goal to chest it clear, City look rattled at the back all of a sudden. GET IT BIG, GET CROUCHY ON.

Jack Butland has played the most passes in the Stoke side so far. It's relentless as Kevin de Bruyne sends Raheem Sterling in behind the full-back yet again but this time BMI makes a block.

Hang on, chance! Stoke whack it long and City don't deal with it, Jese is almost clean through and Kyle Walker has to stretch and toe the ball up and on goal. Ederson has to react well to push it clear.

Image source, Reuters

Akram: Guess a wet Monday night in Stoke isn't as tough as a cold and wet Tuesday night there.

Pete: I am a Newcastle supporter but credit where it is due - anyone who doesn’t enjoy this Man City side doesn’t love football - different class.

WOW! That's how you put in a free-kick!

Kevin de Bruyne paints pictures out there, slamming over a ridiculously good cross from deep on the right wing and two or three City players could have got a crucial touch on that. Gabriel Jesus was closest but he couldn't quite turn it home.

Xherdan Shaqiri is playing well though - he picks out a cracking ball over the top into the run of Jese but all he can do is slice a shot harmlessly behind. Stoke need to get their Swiss star on the ball as much as possible.

Jack Butland has to be sharp to get on a loose backpass, he tackles Kevin de Bruyne and wins it, but is he hurt?

Like a character heading alone into a darkened cellar in a horror film, there's an air of inevitability about what's going to happen next here. Stoke cannot get on the ball at all, and when they do they lose it almost immediately.

Image source, Getty Images

The problem with analysing this sort of game is I don't actually know what Stoke can really do about this. If you're watching this in a pub there'll be some guy shouting 'GET INTO THEM!' but that just leaves gaps.

The ball is on the carousel, City move it to the right and when the cross fizzes into the area David Silva is very close to meeting it on the volley.

Peter: The key differences between City this season and last? Quick full backs and a decent goalkeeper. It has transformed the team.

Archie: Name one weakness in this City side. I'll wait.

Another EP of City possession, punctuated with a Stoke error, almost leads to the second goal. David Silva feeds in Gabriel Jesus, who's just offside, rendering Leroy Sane's follow-up into an open goal a moot point.

Image source, Rex Features

Richard: I’m clinically obsessed with David Silva.

Peter: City struggling to find their best form the closer they get to the title? Can someone tell David Silva.

Out of nowhere, Stoke fashion a chance! It's really good play too. After minutes of constant tracking and defending they do manage to get up the pitch a a unit. Xherdan Shaqiri gets one on one with his full-back and nutmegs Oleksandr Zinchenko and cuts it back.

Badou Ndiaye runs on to it, goes for a side-foot shot and it nicks off the toes of Fernandinho and slides just wide!

So close.

Image source, Reuters