<p>MANCHESTER, England — Riyad Mahrez and Kevin De Bruyne both scored twice to lead Manchester City to a 5-2 victory over Southampton on Wednesday, moving 14 points clear at the top of the Premier League. </p>
<p>City was contentiously denied a penalty with the score 1-1 in the first half after goalkeeper Alex McCarthy was adjudged not to have fouled Phil Foden and VAR did not overrule.</p>
<p>But City responded to win convincingly as Mahrez put the hosts ahead and then set up Ilkay Gundogan to make it 3-1 at the Etihad Stadium before halftime.</p>
<p>The Algerian added another after the break and De Bruyne scored the fifth after Che Adams had pulled one back.</p>
<p>De Bruyne also opened the scoring in the 15th minute with James Ward-Prowse replying from the penalty spot.</p>
<p>City appeared to be feeling the effects of Sunday’s Manchester derby loss that ended a 21-match wining run as the hosts began unusually sluggishly.</p>
<p>Yet for all their positivity, Saints were unable to create any clear-cut chances and they were caught out as City took the lead from its first serious attack.</p>
<p>The move was started by Ruben Dias, who picked out Oleksandr Zinchenko with a superb crossfield pass. Zinchenko then fed Foden and, although his shot was parried by McCarthy, De Bruyne was on hand to thump home off the underside of the bar.</p>
<p>Southampton quickly drew level. Jannik Vestergaard tested Ederson with a powerful header from a corner and was fouled by Laporte in the process. Referee Jon Moss pointed to the spot and Ward-Prowse fired down the middle.</p>
<p>Controversy erupted soon after as City felt they should have had a penalty themselves. McCarthy went in feet first on Foden and appeared to catch him on the ankle after the City midfielder had taken advantage of an error by the goalkeeper.</p>
<p>Moss, presumably thinking McCarthy had got a touch on the ball, gave nothing and City — particularly manager Pep Guardiola on the touchline— was incredulous when VAR did not intervene.</p>
<p>Foden quickly got back to his feet in an attempt to score but the chance was gone.</p>
<p>The incident appeared to unsettle City as Ward-Prowse tested Ederson from distance and Moussa Djenepo fired wide but Mahrez changed the course of the game with two moments of brilliance.</p>
<p>First he restored City’s lead as he cut in from the left to collect a pass from the right and bend a shot around McCarthy from the edge of the area.</p>
<p>Mahrez was then instrumental in making it 3-1 after weaving through the area and firing against the post. Gundogan tapped in the rebound.</p>
<p>Mahrez scored City’s fourth himself after 55 minutes as he took a pass from Foden and skipped around Ward-Prowse before beating McCarthy again.</p>
<p>That was the first of three goals in a frantic four minutes.</p>
<p>Southampton caught the City defense napping to pull one back when Adams benefited from a ricochet to strike from close range.</p>
<p>City replied again as De Bruyne combined well with Foden before expertly placing the ball past McCarthy.</p>
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