Bournemouth 0-2 Southampton: Late VAR drama leaves Cherries on the brink

Bournemouth are on the brink of Premier League relegation following their 2-0 defeat by Southampton at the Vitality Stadium after the Cherries' had a last-gasp equaliser ruled out by VAR.

After Ings had put Southampton ahead in the first half, sub Sam Surridge saw a 94th-minute leveller chalked off by VAR as Callum Wilson was correctly adjudged offside.

Beforehand, Bournemouth piled the pressure on Saints in the first half but found themselves going into the break behind, as Ings lethally finished from the edge of the box (41).

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Ings had the chance to double his lead and score his 22nd of the season after Harry Wilson handled in the box, but the Saints striker saw his weak spot-kick saved by Aaron Ramsdale (59).

Bournemouth had chances to grab a vital point but were denied by the brilliant Alex McCarthy on three occasions in the second half, before Surridge's late goal was disallowed. Sub Che Adams wrapped up the points with a fine late finish (90+9) to leave the hosts needing a miracle to survive.

The result means the Cherries need to win at Everton on the final day of the season and results to go their way beforehand to stand a chance of Premier League survival. Saints are up to 11th.

How late drama went against Bournemouth

Bournemouth, fighting for their lives to earn a sixth straight season in the Premier League, were intense in the first half, but wasted several opportunities from set pieces as Saints defended firmly.

Lloyd Kelly and Wilson went close with half chances, but during a rare Saints attack, Ings continued his devastating form to score against the run of play.

Fed the ball by Nathan Remond, Ings shuffled the ball to his right and struck from just outside the box, finding the bottom right corner past the grasp of Ramsdale for his 21st of the season.

Ings caused more problems straight after the break, curling just wide from the edge again, but he had an even better chance to double his and Saints' tally from the spot as Oriol Romeu's header struck the hand of Wilson, who had his arms raised to his face.

Ings stepped up slowly, waiting for Ramsdale to dive, but the goalkeeper brilliantly kept his eyes on the ball and saved the weak shot low down to his left to give Bournemouth a lifeline.

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Chances would come for Bournemouth; first, Wilson latched onto a pass in the box from Jefferson Lerma, but his placed, low shot was saved by McCarthy, while the Saints stopper was again at his best to block Dominic Solanke's shot from an angle after staying on his feet as the striker looked to round him.

Solanke had an even better opportunity to grab a vital draw, latching onto a loose ball at an angle and seeing his shot from 10 yards blocked superbly by Jan Vestegaard, while Wilson was again denied by McCarthy's fingertip stop, before late drama went against Bournemouth.

Sub Surridge latched onto a McCarthy spill from close range in the 94th minute, slotting home low to seemingly secure Bournemouth a point, but VAR replays correctly showed Wilson was just offside in the lead-up.

As Bournemouth again pressed ahead for an equaliser in the 99th minute, Saints broke and doubled their lead through Adams, finding the far corner with a fine finish for just his second goal for the club.

The late chaos summed up Bournemouth's season, but they are now relying on other sides to help them as their five-year stay in the Premier League hangs by a thread.

Relegation run-in: Who is going down?

Who will join Norwich back in the Sky Bet Championship? Brighton and West Ham are almost safe, leaving only one escape route left for Aston Villa, Bournemouth and Watford.

Here, we look at the form and remaining fixtures from the sides in trouble...

What the managers said...

Bournemouth boss Eddie Howe: "I just need to digest this game before thinking about next week. While we're still there, there's still hope, we just have to believe until it is mathematically impossible. You never know in football, crazier things have happened.

"But I'm very disappointed today because a big chunk of our destiny and future was still in our hands today, and that's slipped away.

"It is difficult. Usually we have been free scoring and creating a bundle of chances. For some reason that hasn't happened [this season]. We have worked to try and change that, and the best spell has probably been the last few games."

Southampton boss Ralph Hasenhuttl: "This is key to being a better Premier League team. We can't fall back now. We are hungry to be successful.

"We're on 49 points, but we want more. We have one more to go to get to 50, and we want one more win. It has been a very strange season, but we must try and save this position [11th] and start again next season."

Opta stats

• Bournemouth have suffered their 22nd league defeat of the season; only in the 1933-34 Third Division South (24) and the 1983-84 Third Division (23) have they lost more in a Football League campaign.
• Southampton have picked up 31 points in away league games this season, their best ever return on the road in a top-flight campaign, while only champions Liverpool (41) have earned more in the 2019-20 Premier League.
• Southampton are unbeaten in six Premier League matches (W3 D3), their longest such run since going seven unbeaten from April to August 2016.
• Bournemouth have kept only one clean sheet in their last 20 Premier League games, and just one in their last 13 at the Vitality Stadium.
• Danny Ings has scored in 19 different Premier League games this season, the most by any Southampton player in a single season in the competition, overtaking James Beattie's 18 in 2002-03.

What's next?

Bournemouth now go to Everton on the final day of the Premier League season on Sunday at 4pm, while are at home to Sheffield United at the same time.

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