Vincent Kompany on target as Manchester City beat lightweight Southampton

A captain's goal from Vincent Kompany powered Manchester City to a 3-0 Premier League win away to Southampton.

The Belgian broke the deadlock early in the second half when he headed past the statuesque Fraser Forster who will not want to see a replay of his effort.

The excellent Leroy Sane added a second on the counter-attack, and moments later Sergio Aguero nodded his 11th goal in as many games from a Kevin De Bruyne cross.

Southampton, badly missing their injured captain Virgil van Dijk, proved far too lightweight at the back, getting outbattled in the air, and got caught on the break with embarrassing ease for Sane's goal.

The win keeps City on course for a Champions League place, moving them third, a point ahead of Liverpool with the same number of games played - Jurgen Klopp's side face West Brom on Sunday.

Is Kompany back? Kompany’s injuries have been so prolific in recent seasons that it’s best to exercise caution when discussing his comeback, but today felt like an important landmark. He put himself about defensively, albeit against a poor attack, and came up clutch with the goal as he has on so many occasions before. This was like watching the Kompany of old.

Kevin De Bruyne (Manchester City). It was a good day for Belgians and none more so than De Bruyne, who was the best player on the pitch and involved in all of the visitors’ best moments. He laid on two excellent assists and now leads the league in that statistic, which underlines his quality. Southampton’s midfield didn't get close to him all game.

Southampton: Forster 5, Cedric 5, Stephens 6, Yoshida 6, Bertrand 6, Davis 5, Hojbjerg 5, Ward-Prowse 6, Tadic 5, Redmond 5, Gabbiadini 5.Subs: Long 5, Boufal 5, Rodriguez 5.

Manchester City: Bravo 6, Clichy 6, Kompany 7, Otamendi 6, Navas 6, Fernandinho 6, Toure 6, Sane 7, Silva 6, De Bruyne 8, Aguero 6. Subs: Zabaleta 6, Sterling n/a, Iheanacho n/a.

4’ - CHANCE! A great chance for City as Clichy's cross finds an unmarked Aguero at the far post but, on the stretch, he fails to make a clean connection with the ball.

36’ - CHANCE! Aguero bursts into the box down the left and chips the ball to Silva who is free at the back post but volleys wide from six yards. What a miss.

37’ - NO PENALTY! Sane is slipped in by Toure and holds off Cedric before trying to round Forster, who dives and brings him down. The referee gives a corner, saying Forster got the ball, but replays show otherwise. Guardiola not happy on the touchline.

55’ - GOAL! Southampton 0-1 Manchester City (Kompany). From a corner Kompany scores, heading down and in from close range, but his effort was straight at Forster who really should have saved that.

65’ - DOUBLE CHANCE! Somehow, Man City are kept at bay as first Forster clears De Bruyne's cross with Aguero waiting to tap in and then Stephens does brilliantly to block SIlva's shot on a rebound.

77’ - GOAL! Southampton 0-2 Manchester City (Sane). De Bruyne is put through on goal after Southampton's defence is caught wildly out of position and he squares for Sane to tap in. That was too easy.

80’ - GOAL! Southampton 0-3 Manchester City (Aguero).Sane dinks a cross to the back post where Cedric decides not to bother challenging Aguero who heads in.

Kompany scored his first Premier League goal since August 2015.

Manchester City have 64 points after 32 matches, only two fewer than their final points total from last season.

In the last five seasons, only Lionel Messi (64) and Luis Suárez (60) have more assists in Europe’s top five leagues than De Bruyne’s 59.