Report and highlights as James Ward-Prowse and Shane Long seal win
Saturday 12 January 2019 20:23, UK
Southampton poured more pressure on Claude Puel as they beat Leicester 2-1 despite playing for 45 minutes with 10 men.
Southampton were at full throttle from the first whistle at the King Power Stadium and took a deserved lead when James Ward-Prowse converted from the penalty spot (11).
Leicester looked to have a way back into the game when 19-year-old Saints full-back Yan Valery showed his inexperience by picking up a second yellow card (45). However, Shane Long netted just 90 seconds later (45+1) to give the visitors a two-goal cushion heading into the break, it was Long's first goal of the season and just his second goal in his last 62 appearances.
Wilfred Ndidi pulled one back (58) but Puel's men were too predictable in their play and the excellently-organised Saints held on to give new boss Ralph Hasenhuttl a third win in his seven Premier League games in charge and move the club out of the relegation places.
It ends a dismal seven days for Puel, who saw his team knocked out of the FA Cup to Sky Bet League Two side Newport County and the Foxes have now suffered back-to-back home Premier League defeats after losing against Cardiff over the festive period.
Following their FA Cup exit, Puel promised the home fans a response but it did not materialise as Southampton were fast out of the traps.
Long was bundled over by Nampalys Mendy just inside the area and referee Michael Oliver - fresh from the VAR controversy at Wembley on Tuesday - awarded the spot-kick. Ward-Prowse, without a goal in almost a year, fired home into the top corner.
Leicester took until the half-hour to register a shot on goal with all the incisive play coming from the Saints as Jack Stephens was denied by a flying save from Kasper Schmeichel.
The game looked to have swung the Foxes way when Valery tugged back Marc Albrighton having already been booked for a clash with Ben Chilwell.
With the home fans still waving the full-back down the tunnel, their team switched off and Southampton took full advantage. Ricardo Pereira was caught napping by Long down the left and the striker stayed cool to fire home.
Leicester dominated territory in the second period, registering a whopping 85 per cent possession, but their creative players were too predictable in their play.
Pereira did charge down the right and set up Ndidi to bundle home, but the remaining 32 minutes were relatively comfortable for Southampton, who defended deep but with great composure.
Any of the defensive unit could have picked up the outstanding award but it was the former Chelsea man that led the masterclass. He was snapping around the heels of James Maddison all afternoon and kept the Leicester man very quiet while gaining possession for his team nine times. After falling out of favour under Mark Hughes, he has started all seven Premier League games under Hasenhuttl. He is a key cog in the way the boss wants to play.
"We wanted to perform, we wanted to have a reaction and our concentration was perhaps too much. It was a difficult scenario.
"We didn't manage the first half well. It would have been good to have come back without the second goal but it was harsh and it was a bad moment.
"We played with desire and intensity in the second half but we didn't perform enough."
"We had to be compact in the second half and try to defend everything.
"I think the manner of the performance was good, showing passion.
"When they made it 2-1 I thought it would be too long for us to hold on. But the way we defended made it very difficult for the opposition to score. The longer the game went on the steadier and more balanced we were.
"That was the key to the success."
Leicester have a trip to Wolves next Saturday lunchtime - a game which is live on Sky Sports - while Southampton play Derby County in their FA Cup third-round replay on Wednesday before hosting Everton on Saturday.
