Southampton 3-3 Bournemouth: Ralph Hasenhuttl's side secure Premier League status
Report and highlights as Callum Wilson scores twice in draw at St Mary's
By James Walker-Roberts
Saturday 27 April 2019 23:04, UK
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Southampton 3-3 Bournemouth
Southampton secured their Premier League survival despite being held to a thrilling 3-3 draw by south-coast rivals Bournemouth.
Shane Long scored the opener in the 12th minute at St Mary's, only for Dan Gosling to level after a swift counter and Callum Wilson to put Bournemouth ahead in the 32nd minute.
Southampton turned the game around after half-time as James Ward-Prowse made it 2-2 with a low shot from outside the box and substitute Matt Targett headed in his first goal for the club in the 67th minute.
Wilson snatched a point for Bournemouth with a late equaliser, but the point is enough for Southampton to guarantee they stay in the league thanks to Cardiff's loss at Fulham.
Southampton players and staff waited on the pitch after the full-time whistle for confirmation of Cardiff's defeat before celebrating their survival by dancing around the centre-circle.
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Southampton, who were 18th in the Premier League when head coach Ralph Hasenhuttl was appointed in December, made a flying start and went close through Nathan Redmond, who saw a shot blocked and then an effort saved, and Jan Bednarek, who had a shot blocked on the line.
Saints' pressure paid off in the 12th minute when Redmond squared for Long to finish from around the penalty spot.
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But Bournemouth levelled completely against the run of play as they scored from a clinical counter-attack that saw Josh King sweep forward and then pass to Wilson, who teed up Gosling to finish from inside the box.
Long spurned a glorious chance to restore Saints' lead when he saw a shot saved and then, with goalkeeper Artur Boruc on the floor, hit the post with the follow-up effort from eight yards out.
Image:James Ward-Prowse celebrates after scoring Southampton's second goal
However, a tactical change from Eddie Howe, who brought on Ryan Fraser for Chris Mepham and switched to a back four, changed the momentum and Wilson made it 2-1 when he scored in the 32nd minute after Angus Gunn could only palm out a shot from David Brooks.
Bournemouth controlled the rest of the half, but the game turned again after the break and Ward-Prowse levelled with a low shot from outside the box.
Team news
Southampton made two changes from their midweek draw at Watford as Danny Ings and Yan Valery replaced Stuart Armstrong and Maya Yoshida.
Junior Stanislas missed out for Bournemouth after undergoing hamstring surgery. Jack Simpson, 22, came into the defence to make his second Premier League start of the season and Nathaniel Clyne also made the XI, with Ryan Fraser dropping to the bench after sufferinga slight injury in training.
Targett headed in at the back post from Yan Valery's cross in the 67th minute to put Saints ahead, but Bournemouth, who had hardly threatened in the second half, levelled with four minutes remaining with Fraser crossed for Wilson to bundle in from close range.
The visitors should have snatched victory in the final minute but Wilson was denied by Gunn after being played through on goal.
Opta stats
Southampton have lost 27 points from leading positions in the Premier League this season, more than any other side.
Bournemouth have taken seven points from their last four away Premier League games (W2 D1), after taking none from the nine before that (L9).
Southampton's Matt Targett scored the 1000th Premier League goal of 2018-19; the earliest date the 1000th goal has been scored in a Premier League season since the 1994-95 season (April 1st 1995).
Southampton's Shane Long has scored in three successive home Premier League games for the first time ever.
Bournemouth's Dan Gosling has netted two goals in his last three Premier League appearances, as many as he managed in his previous 67 combined.
Bournemouth's Callum Wilson has scored and assisted in six different Premier League games this season, more than any other player.
James Ward-Prowse has scored seven goals in the Premier League this season for Southampton (24 apps), as many as he managed in his two previous seasons combined (60 apps).
Ryan Fraser has provided 13 assists in the Premier League this season, a joint-high figure in the competition this season (level with Eden Hazard).
Man of the match - Callum Wilson
In such a back-and-forth game there weren't too many standout individual displays, but Wilson takes the honours for his two-goal haul. He was disappointed he didn't make it a hat-trick when he spurned a late chance to finish past Gunn.
What's next?
Southampton finish the season with a trip to West Ham next Saturday and then a home game against Huddersfield on the final day.
Bournemouth host Tottenham next Saturday, live on Sky Sports, then finish with a trip to Crystal Palace.
