Kyle Walker was Manchester City’s unlikely goal hero as they came from behind to deny Southampton the surprise result of the season.
Saints, beaten 9-0 by Leicester in their previous Premier League game, stunned The Etihad when James Ward-Prowse captialised on a blunder by Ederson after 13 minutes.
It took City 70 minutes to register their first shot on target – which resulted in an equaliser by Sergio Aguero.
And with four minutes left Saints’ keeper Alex McCarthy parried an Angelino cross to Kyle Walker who swept in for only his third City goal in 103 appearances.
The gripping contest meant City kept pace with Liverpool, who remain six points ahead at the top of the table after leaving it late to win at Aston Villa.
Pep Guardiola named a strong side featuring all his big-hitters despite though there was a first Premier League start for 22-year-old left-back Angelino.
Saints boss Ralph Hasenhuttl resisted the temptation for mass changes after Leicester – just the three – and was rewarded with a heroic if ultimately unsuccessful mission.
City would have had a more comfortable afternoon had Aguero not flashed a header wide in the opening minute with a header that flashed wide.
But Saints and their five-man defence made them suffer by taking the lead.
Nathan Redmond cut the ball back for Stuart Armstrong whose shot was fumbled by Ederson, into the path of Ward-Prowse to prod in the rebound.
City reacted by pinning Southampton back but were met by a heroic wall of defending. Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg was booked for a last-ditch tackle on Bernardo Silva.
Oriol Romeu threw himself in the way of a drive from Ilkay Gundogan, and Bernardo appealed loudly for handball against Hojbjerg when his cross struck Hojbjerg’s trailing arm on the edge of the penalty area.
Gundogan couldn’t believe his bad luck when another firm strike from the edge of the box was blocked again, this time by Armstrong.
At times in the first half, Southampton defended with 10 players inside their own box with Redmond hovering just outside.
Yan Valery matched Raheem Sterling for pace and aggression every step of the way.
Clearcut chances were hard to come by for the home side.
Gundogan’s cross from a short corner after 38 minutes left Saints goalie Alex McCarthy in no-man’s land but John Stones couldn’t keep his header down.
It was the first time Saints had led at half-time this season and Guardiola responded by throwing on an extra striker Jesus for David Silva.
Aguero beat the turf in frustration after heading Bernardo’s cross high after climbing well between Southampton’s central defenders but he did eventually score.
De Bruyne was the architect with a slide-rule pass into the overlapping Walker.
His pull-back right on the byline was met with a crisp first-time finish from Aguero, his 13th goal of the season and 244th of his City career.
The leveller ramped up the atmosphere.
City were furious that Southampton’s coaching staff delayed giving the ball back for a throw leading to Guardiola explaining his feelings to Hasenhuttl in the technical area.
There were boos from fans who felt Valery took his time to limp off in being replaced by Kevin Danso.
City upped the tempo further. Sterling burst past three and pulled back for Bernardo whose hit was brilliantly tipped over by McCarthy.
There was controversy after 79 minutes when Jan Bednarek played a free-kick back to McCarthy picked up.
Saints weren’t happy about the award of a City free-kick inside the area but relieved when De Bruyne curled wide.
Sterling fed Aguero whose turn and shot was deflected wide.
From the following corner Gundogan went close in a goalmouth melee.
Phil Foden was thrown on by Guardiola with six minutes left but the winning goal was all to do with the two full-backs.
Angelino’s cross from the left arced away from McCarthy, he got a palm to it but only diverted in the direction of Walker who finished in style.
Jesus was denied by McCarthy when he was clean through to make it 3-1 but City were just grateful for the three hard-earned points.
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