SAINTS battled hard but Manchester City took all three points thanks to an early Erling Haaland goal in a 1-0 defeat at Etihad Stadium.

The inevitable Haaland opened the scoring in under five minutes while Cameron Archer hit the woodwork in first-half added time.

Haaland has 104 goals in 111 appearances for City but that record should read even sweeter after a succession of missed chances here. 

Saints remained in the game but failed to properly test Brazilian international Ederson, while Aaron Ramsdale was busy for much of the contest. 

Saints boss Russell Martin also picked up a third booking of the season and is set for a one-match touchline ban for yellow card accumulation.

Martin made two changes to his side from last weekend, with captain Jack Stephens restored to the starting lineup after five matches suspended.

He replaced Yukinari Sugawara who was fit enough for the bench, while Joe Aribo lost his place to Adam Lallana - who had been left as an unused substitute last week.

Man City were without four starters but could still name a team that included Haaland, Phil Foden, and Josko Gvardiol among its biggest names.

City boss Pep Guardiola was complimentary about Martin in the match's build-up, and the pair laid poppy wreaths on the touchline together as part of the pre-match remembrance service.

It took less than five minutes for City to take the lead; the resurgent Matheus Nunes crossed to Haaland, who made it seven goals in a row against promoted sides. 

The goal meant Saints have gone 21 top-flight matches without a clean sheet, since a 0-0 draw at Manchester United in March 2023, equalling the club record.

Most of City's touches in the Saints penalty area came from getting in behind Kyle Walker-Peters and pumping ball after ball aerially into the box.

Flynn Downes went into the book for a good tackle on Bernardo Silva after referee Tony Harrington just missed a foul on him in a rare Saints attack. 

With half-time looming, Lallana and Martin were incensed by the decision and the official saw fit to add Martin into the book for his protestations.

Archer almost put smiles back on their faces but the first Saints effort came crashing off the crossbar in added time, after Stephens had slipped him in.

Martin opted to remove Tyler Dibling from the line of fire at half-time with Adam Armstrong his replacement, who had the side's second shot.

Haaland had a header cleared off the line by former Man City defender Taylor Harwood-Bellis before having a second saved by Ramsdale in quick succession.

The Norwegian then missed a sitter at the back post with his feet and headed another chance sideways to safety with the goal gaping - it could have been his fifth.

Martin tried one final roll of the dice with four minutes remaining, introducing Kamaldeen Sulemana and Paul Onuachu - with a knocked Downes one of the pair making way.

The tall Nigerian had a header cleared behind for a corner in six minutes of added time - but that was as close as Saints would come.

Ramsdale denied Haaland again in the final 30 seconds before referee Tony Harrington called time - leaving Saints with one point from nine matches.

Man City: Ederson; Lewis (Stones, 96), Dias, Akanji, Gvardiol; Kovacic, Silva, Nunes, Savinho, Foden; Haaland.

Unused subs: Ortega, Carson, Ake, Gundogan, O'Reilly, McAtee.

Booked: Kovacic.

Saints: Ramsdale; Walker-Peters, Harwood-Bellis, Bednarek, Stephens, Manning (Bree, 75); Downes (Kamaldeen, 86), Lallana (Aribo, 60), Fernandes; Dibling (Armstrong, h-t), Archer (Onuachu, 86).

Unused subs: McCarthy, Sugawara, Cornet, Ugochukwu.

Booked: Downes, Martin, Armstrong, Lallana. 

Referee: Tony Harrington.

VAR: David Coote.