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A first-half strike by Raheem Sterling was enough to give Manchester City a 1-0 victory over Southampton to send the Cityzens to fifth in the 2020-21 Premier League table..
The last time both sides met in the Premier League in July, a wonder goal by Che Adams saw the Saints pick up a 1-0 win despite being thoroughly outplayed by the Cityzens .
Pep Guardiola would have been wary of a repeat performance on his return to St Mary's, especially with the presence of fans in the stands, but Raheem Sterling did well to calm early nerves.
Some great link-up play between Bernardo Silva and Kevin de Bruyne saw the Belgian lay the ball for Sterling on a platter, and the England international made no mistake from 18 yards out.
That was just reward for the visitors who made a bright start. However, Southampton slowly got into the game and ended the first half on the ascendancy, with James Ward Prowse's delivery and Jannik Vestegaard's threat from set-pieces causing problems for Manchester City goalkeeper Ederson.
Former Arsenal star Theo Walcott was also bright on the wings, but Ralph Hasanhuttl suffered a blow when star striker Danny Ings was substituted in the 41st minute with a hamstring problem.
The second half saw Manchester City up the ante but despite having the lion's share of possession, the visitors struggled to create enough chances and also failed to take the presentable opportunities they created.
As the clock wound down, Guardiola's side resorted to delay tactics that saw Manchester City's goalkeeper Ederson booked for time wasting.
Eventually, City held on for the win that saw them move up to fifth in the standings. On that note, let us take a look at five talking points from the fixture.
#5 Manchester City stutter their way to a much-needed victory
Manchester City came into this game on the back of a disappointing 1-1 draw with West Brom, a result that was compounded when Liverpool snatched a last-gasp winner against Tottenham Hotspur later that night.
Liverpool once again laid down the gauntlet with a 7-0 demolition of Crystal Palace at Selhurst Park, a result that saw the defending champions move 11 points clear of Manchester City, having played two games more.
Anything other than a win for the Mancunians would have put a serious dent in their quest to reclaim the Premier League title, but they ultimately got the job done.
Even though Manchester City lacked their usual fluency, Pep Guardiola would be satisfied with the three points in his kitty.
The win sees City cut their deficit to Liverpool to eight points with a game in hand. Although theystill have some catching up to do, a win against one of the in-form teams was a step in the right direction.
#4 Danny Ings' injury cause for concern for Southampton
Danny Ings has found a new lease of life since signing for Southampton in 2018, with his form seeing him earn a recall on the international scene.
He had a record-breaking campaign last season, scoring 25 goals in all competitions for the Saints. Ings has started the current campaign brightly with five goals and two assists in his first seven league games before getting sidleined due to an injury.
Danny Ings marked his return to the Southampton squad with a goal in his side's 2-1 win over Brighton, but injury struck again in the game against Manchester City.
Although the severity of Ings' injury is unknown, Southampton fans would hope that it is a minor muscle problem, as Ings is a key player for his side.
#3 Despite their victory, problems in attack persist for Manchester City
Manchester City have made a name for themselves in the last few years as one of the most potent attacking forces in English football.
They scored 106 goals in 2018 to set a new benchmark in attacking brilliance, while continuing to net plenty of goals since then.
However, this season has seen a departure from the norm for Manchester City. Guardiola's men have struggled to turn possession into chances while they have also been wasteful in attack.
So far this season, Manchester City have scored just 19 goals from 13 Premier League games - the same as conservatve Crystal Palace have managed (in one game more). As many as ten other teams in the league have outscored Manchester City this term.
City's goal tally this season is less than half of what they managed at this stage of each of the last three seasons. Furthermore, they have scored more than one goal in a game just four times this season, something that has become a cause of concern.
Against Southampton, Manchester City saw their problems in attack come to the fore once more. Kevin de Bruyne, Raheem Sterling, Riyad Mahrez and Bernanrdo Silva were all guilty of missing gilt-edged chances.
The absence of Sergio Aguero has been given as a reason for Manchester City's frugality in attack, but the Cityzens have in the past thrived without their record goalscorer. Although they eventually got their victory, if City are to reclaim top spot in the league, their problems in attack need to be sorted out.
#2 Manchester City's new-found defensive nous comes to the fore once again
Even though they might be f;oundering at the offensive end, Manchester City's defence has been as resolute as ever, and they once again brought their A-game at the back against Southampton.
John Stones and former Benfica man Ruben Dias seem to be Guardiola's current defensive partnership, and the pair almost put no foot wrong against the Saints.
They limited Southampton to mostly chances from set-pieces and were good value for the visitors' clean sheet on the night.
It was Manchester City's sixth clean sheet of the season. Their total of 12 goals conceded this term is matched by only Tottenham Hotspur.
#1 Magical Kevin de Bruyne puts up another masterclass performance
Pep Guardiola discussed about rotation of his team ahead of a busy Christmas schedule, but the Catalan expressly stated that Kevin de Bruyne could not be afforded any rest, considering his importance to Manchester City's play.
The reigning PFA Player of the Year is the standout attacking midfielder in the world. Despite not yet reaching the dizzy heights of last season, De Bruyne was once again in the thick of things at Southampton.
The Belgium international got the ball rolling by setting up Sterling for the game's only goal. That was his seventh assist of the season.
De Bruyne could have had a few more assists on the night but for poor finishing by Raheem Sterling, Bernardo Silva and Riyad Mahrez.
His cross-field ball to find Mahrez was magical. and the Algeria international should have doubled Manchester City's lead.
However, De Bruyne himself was guilty of missing a good chance midway through the second half when he shot straight at Alex McCarthy with both angles of the post to aim for.
Nevertheless, De Bruyne still made his presence felton the field and made four key passes in the game, which was more than anyone else on the pitch managed.
