In the end it looked terribly comfortable for Manchester City. So devoid of tension were the last minutes of the game that the Etihad Stadium was half empty as City celebrated their latest three points accumulated in pursuit of the title.

But none of those making that early exit would have left feeling buoyant. They would have known they had been the beneficiary of an awful injury to Southampton’s Jay Rodriguez and one of the worst refereeing decisions of the season, when David Silva set up a goal at a pivotal stage of the match despite being at least three yards offside.

And they would acknowledge that until that decision, they had been out-played by a youthful and inexpensively-assembled team.

Most likely they would fear that City are faltering as their most important game of the season approaches. Put simply, if City start like this at Anfield next weekend they will lose heavily.

All around the stadium in a first half that Southampton dominated, you could sense the tension. Any crowd noise came in the form frustration and tension as Adam Lallana, Morgan Schneiderlin, Jay Rodriguez – before his horrible injury – and Rickie Lambert simply stroked the ball around City’s team of foreign stars.

Bayern Munich and Chelsea have dominated at The Etihad this season and Liverpool played well. This looked to be a performance approaching those at times. Of course, it wasn’t to be. Southampton’s bravery leaves them too open at times.

And horrendous refereeing would play its part in destroying their resolve, which left Southampton manager Mauricio Pochettino was left exasperated.

‘The only positive that I can think of is that the first 45 minutes we were superior to a team that equipped to win the win the Premier League,’ said Pochetinno. ‘To beat a team like Man City a team that’s full of quality players, world class players, not only do you have to have the perfect game but the refereeing decisions have to be fair and that did not happen today.’

Pellegrini conceded that the first half had not been good for his team. ‘In the first 45 minutes we didn’t play well. There was too much distance between our midfield and defensive lines so we couldn’t recover the ball well against a very good team that has a lot of possession and has very good technical players.

But in our worst moment we scored three goals – and I don’t remember Southampton having many chances. And in the second half we arranged all the problems we had and played very well.’

He did concede that a 3-1 half time score was ‘maybe not the distance between the two teams’ and that the second goal was ‘maybe a mistake of the referee’ but he would not allow that the farcical decision had changed the game.

Having won 4-1, he was naturally reluctant to engage in a debate as how his side had played poorly or how they had benefitted from the farcical refereeing. The second half was much better – but by then the game had been settled by an extraordinary end to the first half.

The game was poised at 1-1 when, a minute into first half injury time, Toure played a through ball, which Dzeko crucially flicked into the path of Silva. The Spaniard was onside when Toure played the ball – but was three yards offside when Dzeko made the flick. He squared for Samir Nasri, who scored.

It was a bewildering moment and must have accounted for Southampton switching off two minutes later when Aleksandar Kolarov’s cross was flapped at by stand in keeper Paulo Gazzaniga, allowing Dzeko to head in. A half-time score-line of 3-1 was simply inexplicable.

But then controversy had stalked this game. As early as the second minute Foy was awarding a penalty when Jose Fonte was turned by Eden Dzeko and, wrong side and on the back foot, flicked his leg at the Bosnian in desperation. Pochettino was angry. ‘I don’t think you can give a penalty like this after two minutes. I think it’s inexplicable and not right.’ But the challenge was foolish, a penalty correct and Yaya Toure duly dispatched it.

But then the game turned. Schneiderlin, Lallana begun to dominate the midfield. At one stage the Frenchman was so in control, he executed two flicks that landed Yaya Toure on his backside. Rodriguez was full of running and Rickie Lambert was dropping deep to set up chances, with Lallana juts failing to control a delightful chip on ten minutes.

Southampton’s luck was rotten. Rodriguez crashed to the ground attempting to control the ball on 22 minutes, his knee ligaments seemingly ruptured and his World Cup dreams over. The Etihad, a civilised arena, rose as one to applaud him off, registering the full extent of the heartache involved.

Dzeko did hit the bar on 35 minutes but it was no surprise when Pablo Zabaleta was tempted into an injudicious challenge on Jack Cork to give away a penalty on 36 minutes. Rickie Lambert scored, of course – 34 penalties taken, 34 scored.

Pellergini was right, that City were infinitely better in the second half. Hardly surprising though by then Southampton were demoralised.

But despite great chances for Dzeko oin 51 minutes, Navas on 68 minutes and Negredo on 72 minutes, it took them until 81 minutes to add the fourth. Navas crossed and with Gazzaniga again at fault, slipping as he came to retrieve, substitute Stevan Jovetic had an easy tap in at the far post.

—Daily Mail