Sterling is on a high after riding to Manchester City's rescue once again

The England forward - who netted a late clincher at Huddersfield on Sunday - curled home a superb injury-time strike for the Premier League leaders at the Etihad Stadium.

Saints had looked set to become the first team to deny City a victory since August when Oriol Romeu cancelled out Kevin de Bruyne's deflected free-kick 15 minutes from time.

But Sterling, who is developing a habit of scoring late, had other ideas with his 13th goal of the campaign securing City's 12th successive league win and a club record 19th straight victory in all competitions.

Southampton had frustrated City by adopting a similar approach to Huddersfield - defending deep, absorbing pressure and looking to launch the occasional counter-attack.

Saints were also a threat at set-pieces and City were guilty of inviting pressure by conceding too many. Wesley Hoedt went close to opening the scoring when his header from a corner was deflected onto the bar and Maya Yoshida later volleyed over.

Between those chances, City - with Sergio Aguero and Gabriel Jesus up front but Leroy Sane out through illness - had a few of their own. Saints had Fraser Forster to thank.

Forster palmed away a good effort from Fernandinho, who had earlier driven wide, and made a double save to deny Aguero and Jesus.

Fernandinho also drove wide, Nicolas Otamendi headed over and Ilkay Gundogan shot into the side-netting after Forster kept out another Jesus effort.

Southampton slowed the game, taking time over every dead ball situation, while Shane Long also proved a niggly presence. Twice the Saints forward clashed with Vincent Kompany, the first time taking an arm in the face from the home captain and the second being hauled down. Kompany was booked for the latter.

City finally broke through two minutes into the second half as De Bruyne whipped in a free-kick. Confusion reigned for a while over how the ball actually ended up in the net with Otamendi initially claiming he had diverted it in after stooping for a low header.

The Argentinian, however, did not make contact and the final touch at the near post came off Virgil van Dijk. Given De Bruyne's free-kick was goalbound, this was regarded as a deflection and the Belgian credited with his fifth of the season.

City immediately looked for a second as Aguero played in Jesus but Forster denied the Brazilian with a fine save and then produced an even better stop to keep out a De Bruyne piledriver.

Those saves began to take on crucial importance as Saints grabbed a shock equaliser 15 minutes from time. Romeu smashed in a shot off the underside of the bar after Sofiane Boufal pulled the ball back from the byline.

It looked like being enough to deny City all three points until Sterling curled home.

There were unusual scenes after the final whistle with City manager Pep Guardiola shouting at Southampton's Nathan Redmond.

MAN CITY: Ederson, Walker, Kompany, Otamendi, Delph, De Bruyne, Fernandinho, Gundogan (Bernardo Silva, 80 mins), Sterling, Aguero, Jesus (David Silva, 74 mins).

Subs not used: Bravo, Danilo, Mangala, Zinchenko, Diaz.

SOUTHAMPTON: Forster, Soares (McQueen, 87 mins), Yoshida, Van Dijk, Hoedt, Bertrand, Højbjerg (Boufal, 64 mins), Romeu, Lemina, Redmond, Long (Austin, 83 mins).

Subs not used: Davis, Tadic, McCarthy, Gabbiadini.

Man of the match: Sterling

Match rating: 8/10

Referee: Paul Tierney