CALLING into question any result at Man City almost feels impossible this season. Saints can only be questioned for their obvious fear in resounding defeat.

Gavin Bazunu impressed on his return to his former side but nothing could be done to stop Joao Cancelo and Phil Foden all-but killing the game in the first-half.

Saints were too often frightened of making a mistake in progressive play against the English champions, while Riyad Mahrez and the unstoppable Erling Haaland rounded it to 4-0.

The biggest cheers of the afternoon came in jest for Saints after a repetition of Romain Perraud speculative shots, but Ralph Hasenhuttl’s ideals were probably not all wrong – they just were not implemented.

Hasenhuttl’s teams at their best have been typified by bravery and courage and he showed that again staying with the 4-2-2-2 that brought him success against City last season.

The Premier League draws home and away will have been used as inspiration, but you need more than bravery, courage and inspiration against some teams.

The days that preceded the Etihad Stadium contest were punctuated by various reports of Hasenhuttl’s job security and even potential successors the club had targeted.

Haaland, Kevin De Bruyne, Foden, Bernardo Silva and more lined up to face the Saints defence from the start – £100million Jack Grealish among those on the bench.

It was Mahrez who Bazunu had to deny superbly within 60 seconds, before the Algerian blazed over on the volley 10 minutes later to let Saints off.

Haaland should have scored and had almost the entire stadium on their feet in expectancy when he raced through, followed by a universal gasp as his shot came off the post and along the line.

The respite was short-lived. Cancelo completed a mazy run with a feint past James Ward-Prowse in the area – with Kyle Walker-Peters AWOL – and slotted across Bazunu inside 20 minutes.

Foden scored the second with a delightful chip from De Bruyne’s pass just after the half-hour mark, after Bazunu had saved from him moments earlier.

Hasenhuttl’s lasting image of the first-half was one of agony at his own players refusing to be brave. Continually, they passed back to Bazunu rather than forward and each time the Austrian turned to his bench vocalising his frustration.

Saints went in with 35 per cent of the ball and zero shots on goal. Mahrez added the third minutes after the break, finishing off Rodri’s lofted ball from inside the area.

Haaland missed the ball with an open goal gaping and later an onrushing Bazunu stopped him knocking it past him, with the crowd in attendance only really wanting for the Norwegian to bag.

They got it. The 22-year-old scored his – incredibly - 15th in 9 league matches, creeping in from close-range with a first-time strike.

It felt a final bit of catharsis as the game died with the anticipation. Haaland had scored and Saints were buried. A series of changes followed, with Juan Larios coming on for an Etihad return.

Man City: Ederson; Akanji, Dias, Ake, Cancelo (Gomez, 71); Rodri, De Bruyne (Palmer, 71), Silva (Lewis, 77); Mahrez (Alvarez, 71), Foden (Grealish, 58), Haaland.

Unused subs: Wilson-Esbrand, Laporte, Gundogan, Ortega (g/k).

Saints: Bazunu; Walker-Peters (Larios, 78), Bella-Kotchap, Salisu, Perraud; Diallo, Ward-Prowse, Aribo (Mara, 78), S Armstrong (Djenepo, 65); A Armstrong (Elyounoussi, 65), Adams.

Unused subs: Lyanco, Caleta-Car, Maitland-Niles, Walcott, McCarthy (g/k).

Booked: Walker-Peters.

Referee: Andy Madley.

VAR: Lee Mason.

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