City overcome ordinary Southampton

Southampton 0 Manchester City 2

Robbie Fowler found his scoring touch again to spark a conclusive Manchester City victory at St Mary’s where Southampton suffered their second defeat in three home games and, for a side who started the day sixth in the league, looked distinctly ordinary.

Fowler’s recent run of goalless outings had begun to suggest that his glory days are now far behind him.

But he struck early and sweetly in the fourth minute down on the South Coast and although it was not until 80 minutes later that Paulo Wanchope wrapped up the points with a rifling drive, the result rarely looked in doubt.

By the time the Costa Rican cracked home a pass from Steve McManaman to send City leapfrogging over Saints in the Premiership table, Fowler had disappeared down the tunnel, replaced by Frenchman Antoine Sibierski.

But the travelling City fans gave him a ripe old rendition of the once familiar “There’s only one Robbie Fowler” and it must have warmed the heart of manager Kevin Keegan as well.

Fowler, who netted just twice in 19 league appearances last season and had played nine times this term with only a UEFA Cup strike against Belgium’s Lokeren to show, relished the challenge of taking over from injured top scorer Nicolas Anelka and partnering the enigmatic Paulo Wanchope.

And despite an impressive 3-0 midweek Carling Cup win at QPR following the luckless defeat at Chelsea, Keegan made several other changes, calling up fit-again Steve McManaman for the suspended Shaun Wright-Phillips and picking Claudio Reyna to replace Paul Bosvelt.

He was amply rewarded for his adventure but also owed a debt to a master-class in defending by French ace Sylvain Distin and the less athletic but just as effective Irishman Richard Dunne who made his first Premiership appearance of the campaign at the expense of David Sommeil.

When City were taken apart by Saints in this corresponding fixture last season, Keegan seemed close to quitting but this performance will have made him feel pleased he did not.

Both sides went close in the opening minutes with eight-goal James Beattie just failing to latch onto Jason Dodd’s through ball into the box for Saints and then Fowler forcing Southampton keeper Paul Jones to turn away a 25 yard shot for a corner.

But Fowler did not have to wait long to strike his first Premiership goal of the season and only his fourth since joining City last season.

And it was a marvellous effort by the former Liverpool and Leeds marksman.

He collected the ball 30 yards out, swerved away from the challenge of Claus Lundekvam and steered a cool finish past Jones from just inside the area.

Saints were quick to reply, Beattie whipping in a trademark free kick which flashed past David Seaman’s right-hand post with the veteran keeper well beaten.

Beattie had another chance when Graeme Le Saux arrowed in a low cross on eight minutes but the striker’s touch let him down when a real shooting opportunity was on the cards.

But Saints, with a surprising degree of desperation so early in the game, soon turned to a long-ball assault aimed at providing ammunition from both full backs for strike-pair Beattie and Kevin Phillips.

And although the pair showed willingness beyond the call of duty there was rarely any real prospect of a first half equaliser while Trevor Sinclair and Fowler might have done better with chances carved at the other end from City’s lesser possession.

Two minutes into the second half, though, Beattie – who endured a grim afternoon – should have tied up the scores when Distin allowed a Phillips cross to float over him and land at the feet of the England striker who was so surprised he let an eight-yards opening dribble away off his toecaps.

City had plentiful chances to seal matters after that, the influential McManaman glancing a header wide from Wanchope’s cross and Fowler off target with two more headed opportunities.

Wanchope also showed lack of class in the air with a downward far-post header straight at Jones when a Fowler break and a McManaman cross again promised much.

But with City resolute at the back, Saints were constantly caught out by sharp breakaways and with six minutes left McManaman’s through ball sent Wanchope in to make amends for previous profligacy with an unstoppable shot.