Ronald Koeman is hoping that Sadio Mane can consistently produce performance like the one that destroyed Manchester City in the coming years.

Mane bagged his second Saints hat-trick in a stunning display at St Mary’s.

City looked unable to handle Mane right from the opening stages of the game, and he duly delivered a punishing display, plundering three goals.

Mane has had another up and down type of season – frustrating one week but then suddenly unplayable the next.

Koeman believes that is because of the 24-year-old’s age, and is hoping that he will get increasingly consistent as time goes on.

“I hope but it’s still a young player, and young players they need sometimes to be more consistent,” said the Saints manager.

“That’s why we train and why we work with all the players to get really a team that knows what they can do and knows that when we get problems.

“That’s all about the development of the individual players and also the development of the team.”

Mane’s treble takes him to 13 goals in all competitions for Saints this season, beating his tally of nine in his first campaign after joining the club from Red Bull Salzburg for £11.8m.

He has consistently been linked with big money moves away from St Mary’s, but is a player Saints very much see as important to their future and wish to retain.

The reasons for that were quite obvious against City, and indeed in recent weeks when Mane has scored five times in the last three games.

“It’s a little bit Sadio, a little bit unpredictable sometimes,” reflected Koeman.

“He was very focussed and very clinical.

“Sometimes that was my critics to all the strikers but we are very productive at home.

“We had even more chances to score more than four goals but it’s a great result and I think everybody enjoyed this game.

“Of course, you can talk about the changes of Man City in the team but I think that’s not fair.

“Give all the credits to Southampton because the performance of today was fantastic.”