Manchester City move into second with big win at Southampton

Yaya Toure and Frank Lampard's strikes took Manchester
City up to second in the Premier League table and handed
Southampton an ominous start to a daunting run of festive
fixtures coming up.
Toure and Lampard provided the crucial calm finishes before
Gael Clichy blasted home his first City goal in a 3-0 win at
St Mary's that lifted the defending champions above Saints in
the league standings.
The assured visitors even shrugged off referee Mike Jones
denying Sergio Aguero a clear penalty in the first half, and
also Jones' decision to show a red card to defender Eliaquim
Mangala.
Referee Jones booked Aguero for diving despite the
Argentina forward being clearly up-ended by Saints defender
Jose Fonte.
City made light of that decision and Mangala's dismissal for a
second booking to inflict Saints' first home defeat of the league
campaign.
Southampton face a season-defining December, up against
Arsenal, Manchester United and Chelsea amid seven games in
25 days.
Ronald Koeman's men battled hard against City but in the
event Manuel Pellegrini's men possessed more than enough nous
to prevail.
Hacked down by Fonte in the game's first significant act,
Aguero scrambled to his knees expecting a penalty and the
chance to add to his midweek Champions League hat-trick
against Bayern Munich.
Referee Jones had other ideas, however, booking the
Argentina striker for diving.
The decision shocked City to the point of whipping out the rug
on their early momentum.
Victor Wanyama's harsh booking for hauling down Toure in
full flight may just have played on official Jones' mind when he
made the call on Fonte's challenge on Aguero.
Fonte was fortunate in the extreme to avoid any kind of
censure, and on another day may well have been sent off.
Toure teed himself up for a trademark pitching-wedge chip as
City continued to press, only to loft the ball too feebly and
straight at Saints goalkeeper Fraser Forster.
Suitably aware just how far their luck had been stretched in a
nervy first 15 minutes, Saints suddenly settled.
Wanyama fired a raking crossfield ball to Ryan Bertrand,
and in a flash the game changed.
Graziano Pelle failed to connect with Dusan Tadic's cross,
but Steven Davis collected the loose ball and blasted
goalwards.
Joe Hart parried desperately into the box, but despite the
danger City still managed to clear.
Referee Jones' muddled afternoon continued unabated when
Mangala's harem-scarem rampage was halted with play
brought back instead for a free kick, with Saints ruled offside.
England man Nathaniel Clyne's bad defensive read then gifted
City the chance of the half.
The Saints full-back raced out of the line only to realise far
too late that Jesus Navas was hot favourite for the loose ball.
The Spaniard hustled onwards and sent Stevan Jovetic racing
in on goal. The Montenegro striker then had the half's sole
gilt-edged chance, but could only fire straight at Forster.
In the ensuing scramble Saints cleared the ball off the line,
further frustrating City's efforts.
Sadio Mane's fine through-ball to Pelle indicated Saints'
continued attacking intent, before Hart was forced into two
weak punches that ultimately went unpunished.
Saints opened the second half with two long-range efforts, but
neither could test Hart.
The hosts' ambition eventually caught them cold when a loose
pass allowed Fernandinho to pick Clyne's pocket.
The astute Brazil midfielder continued to hustle, dispossessed
Wanyama on the edge of Saints' area and teed up Toure.
The towering Ivorian picked his spot and slotted the ball past
the helpless Forster, via a small deflection.
City emptied their bench in a bid to cement control, and Navas
should have doubled the lead when dragging a shot wide of the
target.
Mangala was then dismissed for a second yellow card, after
taking out Shane Long when the Saints striker was about to
edge through on goal.
Former Chelsea midfielder Lampard killed the clash with 10
minutes to play however, coolly driving home after sloppy
Saints play invited City to counter.
Refusing to allow the game to meander to a close, Clichy
capped another fine City raid, blasting high into Forster's net
to rub salt into Saints' open wounds.