Haaland scores his 20th goal of the season as Manchester City defeats Southampton.

Erling Haaland scored his 20th goal of the season as Manchester City cruised to the Premier League title with a 4-0 thrashing of Southampton at the Etihad.

Erling Haaland scored his 20th goal of the season as Manchester City cruised to the Premier League title with a 4-0 thrashing of Southampton at the Etihad.
Erling Haaland has 20 goals in 12 competitive appearances for Manchester City. Oli SCARFF AFP

The English champions moved two points clear of Arsenal at the top of the league thanks to goals from Joao Cancelo, Phil Foden, and Riyad Mahrez.

Next Saturday, City go to Liverpool in what has been the Premier League's showcase match in recent seasons.

But, with Haaland joining a group that has already won four titles in the previous five seasons, Pep Guardiola's men appear unstoppable.

City are on a six-game winning streak after a couple of early season hiccups, and have already scored 31 goals in seven games at the Etihad this season.

The surprise was that Haaland was not leading the attack for once, as his record of three hat-tricks in home Premier League games came to an end.

In the early moments, Haaland should have opened the scoring when he rattled the inside of the post from Foden's through pass, but it was only a matter of time until the floodgates opened.

Cancelo was kept at left-back despite the absence of Kyle Walker at right-back, and the Portuguese delivered a finish Haaland would have been proud of on 20 minutes, marauding forward and firing into the bottom corner.

Last Saturday, Foden scored his first hat-trick as City annihilated Manchester United, and he extended his great run in front of goal with a lovely chip over Gazunu.

Southampton manager Ralph Hasenhuttl may have taken command for the final time, according to rumors this week that the Austrian is on the verge of being fired.

Southampton have lost their past four games following a promising start to the season, with no response to the onslaught of City assaults after the break.

Guardiola had some harsh words for Mahrez about his physical fitness in the early stages of the season, but there were flashes of the Algerian's best when he volleyed in Rodri's cross to end the game.

The focus then shifted to Haaland's effort to extend his remarkable scoring run.

The former Borussia Dortmund striker was guilty of wasting two chances, failing to connect with De Bruyne's cross from close range and then failing to beat Bazunu on a one-on-one.

Haaland did, however, score for the tenth time in a row when he blasted home a low cross from the great Cancelo.

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