Max Meyer immediately drives forward down the left wing and reaches the back line before his cut-back is intercepted.

Marcos Alonso is on hand to inject some calmness. Willian then shoots off at the other end but his shot dribbles safely into the hands of goalkeeper Wayne Hennessey.

The Southampton players are first back out on the pitch at the Etihad. Hughes feeding them to the lions early.

George Cummins
BBC Radio 5 live at Stamford Bridge

Ruben Loftus-Cheek is on the bench for Chelsea today and I spoke to him after Wednesday night's win over Derby in the EFL Cup.

I asked if he would celebrate if he scores and he replied:

"No, I wont celebrate if I score. What they did for me last season... It was a special season for me. I got my England debut and I ended up going to the World Cup.

"I'm so grateful for the opportunity that Palace gave me. I have a lot of respect for them and hope they do really well in the league... but don't play well this weekend!"

We're under way at Stamford Bridge. Wonder how many goals we'll get in this game? Five, is your target lads (at least).

Former Blues' boss Claudio Ranieri is in the stands today. A minutes silence was just held in tribute to the Leicester owner and ahead of Remembrance Sunday.

Image source, Reuters

Don Hutchison
Former Everton midfielder on BBC Radio 5 live

You're asking a Scotsman to talk about Rooney?

Come on lighten up, let him have a game.

Don Hutchison on Rooney's return...

Keith Andrew: Whatever happens this season - and it’s certainly far more competitive than last year - I think the football City are playing is, in part, ramping up a notch. Better than last year in spells. And that’s so impressive.

Ross Barkley is in terrific form for Chelsea and he'll be looking to join an exclusive group today by getting his name on the score sheet for the fourth game in a row.

He has scored in each of his last three Premier League games and only two Englishmen have gone one better for the Blues - Frank Lampard and Mark Stein.

Image source, BBC Sport/Getty Images

Mohamed: Ings goal will only make Man City more hungry to score more goals!

Satish: Saints should celebrate like it's a win for that goal. There won't be anymore like these in the next 60 mins.

Palace will be up for a fight. And they like travelling it seems.

All four of Palace's wins this season have come away from home - two in the league and two in the League Cup.

Five of their seven league goals have also been scored on their travels.

Image source, BBC Sport

Simon Stone
BBC Sport at the Etihad Stadium

Four first-half goals for Manchester City for the first time since May 2017, when they were 4-0 up at Watford on the final day of the season.

They went on to win 5-0.

This is possibly under-appreciating just how much went into that first half display from Man City, but it doesn't even feel like they've had to work that hard for this scoreline.

They are doing one last sprinkle of the pitch before the players head out over at Stamford Bridge. One poor bloke, collecting a ball which had rolled to the far side of the pitch during the warm-up, has just been soaked.

Wonder if Chelsea's coaching staff have had one eye on the other game and have told the players to aim for double figures too?

Michael Brown
Former Man City midfielder on BBC Radio Manchester

He deserved that goal, Sterling has been outstanding this first half.

Southampton were defensively poor but with the pressure constantly on, Bertrand didn't know what to do.

It comes straight across face of goal, falls lucky for Sterling and a very simple finish in the end.

Image source, Reuters

Well, that was pretty emphatic.

At 3-1, Southampton may well have thought they had a sniff. A tiny, minute sniff. Not now, though. Man City are going top of the league again.

Three minutes of time will be added.

Simon Stone
BBC Sport at the Etihad Stadium

After seeing Southampton escape without sanction for a 'tactical foul' just inside their own half, Pep Guardiola had a lengthy chat with fourth official Chris Kavanagh.

Tactical fouling is very much in vogue, with Guardiola telling the Sunday newspapers ahead of the game that he never sends his team out to do it - and never will.

Former Manchester United defender Gary Neville had offered a different view on TV during City's win at Tottenham last Monday.

Michael Brown
Former Man City midfielder on BBC Radio Manchester

It's very difficult with referee decisions, common sense isn't allowed.

I felt really sorry for the ref yesterday, it was almost as if he needed to put his hand up and say 'I can't not do this'.

The referee's have no choice.

Sterling wants a penalty. He's not going to get one. A superb bit of skill sees him nick the ball past his marker and into the box but when Mario Lemina gets back at him and tackles he drops to the turf in search of a spot-kick. It's a fair challenge though. A very good one, in fact.

Image source, AFP

Sergio Aguero is the second man into the book, also for kicking the ball away. Not sure what he has to be frustrated about, apart from not having scored eight already himself.

Image source, Reuters