Southampton vs Norwich City. Premier League.
St. Mary's StadiumAttendance31,182.
Match report and free highlights as Southampton ease to a 2-0 victory over Norwich; Che Adams' first-half goal gave Saints a deserved lead; Oriol Romeu's powerful strike wrapped up victory for the hosts; Ralph Hasenhuttl's side up to ninth, while Norwich stay bottom
Saturday 26 February 2022 07:17, UK
Southampton deepened Norwich's relegation troubles as goals from Che Adams and Oriol Romeu secured Ralph Hasenhuttl’s side a 2-0 victory at St Mary’s.
Southampton dominated the opening 45 minutes, but it wasn't until the 34th minute that they really tested Norwich goalkeeper Angus Gunn. He somehow kept out Mohamed Elyounoussi's volley from close range before Adams plated a free header wide from James Ward-Prowse's corner just moments later.
The deadlock was eventually broken two minutes later. Gunn initially diverted Tino Livramento's dangerous cross away from goal, but the ball rebounded to Adams at the far post and the Scotland international scooped the ball over the goalkeeper and over the goal line.
It had been a half to forget for Norwich and it could have got even worse in stoppage time at the end of the first half, but Elyounoussi struck wide of the far post after being picked out by Ward-Prowse.
Saints almost doubled their advantage immediately after the restart when Jan Bednarek flicked on Ward-Prowse's corner, but Brandon Williams reacted quickest, heading the ball away before Adams could head goalwards.
The hosts continued to dominate but they could not grab a second goal as Gunn made saves to deny Stuart Armstrong, Ward-Prowse and Kyle Walker-Peters to keep the visitors into the game.
The scoreline was the only thing keeping Norwich interested, but they did eventually start to test the Southampton defence and Grant Hanley should have done better when heading sub Pierre Lees-Melou's cross wide.
However, the game was made safe late on when Romeu powered a strike past Gunn from the edge of the penalty area to seal a deserved three points for Hasenhuttl's side.
Victory sees Southampton stretch their unbeaten run at St Mary's in the Premier League to 10 games as they move up to ninth in the table. Meanwhile, time is starting to run out on Norwich's hopes of avoiding relegation. Dean Smith's side, who suffered a 17th league defeat of the season, stay bottom of the table and five points from safety having played at least one game more than the sides around the sides above them.
Sky Sports' Jamie Carragher:
"The 2-0 scoreline doesn't do Southampton justice. They are in a rich vein of form at this moment in time and they should enjoy it.
"They'll be thinking they can have a really big end to the season. They are just in the top half now, four points behind Tottenham. Southampton will be looking up and not behind them."
Sky Sports' Gary Neville:
"Southampton are achieving their absolute maximum as a club, as a team and as a manager. They are really well coached, and they proved again they are a good side.
"They will fall short against some of the big teams, but they are doing everything they can. They are a good group of players."
Ralph Hasenhuttl said his Southampton side had to work hard for their victory.
He told Sky Sports: "We had a lot of chances against an organised opponent. It was a tight game.
"We were able to adapt our game and have different behaviours. That slowed their game down and then we scored our goals.
"We found Angus Gunn was like a magnet today. We had a lot of shots but he was always there and we had to wait for an unbelievable strike from Oriol.
"It's an amazing goal. We had a few shots from this position but not all of them were on target. Oriol is super strong, he's so calm on the ball and he's so important for our game. When he starts scoring goals we can't ask for more.
"These are the toughest wins to get, against teams where everyone expects you to win. The last two teams coming here were in a relegation battle and we won 2-0 with a clean sheet. People think it's easy but it's not."
Meanwhile, Norwich manager Dean Smith told Sky Sports his side played well below the standard they have shown in past games.
"It was a difficult night. In the first half we gave the ball away too cheaply. We didn't play with the quality we can. When you get 6/10s throughout the pitch you won't win a game in the Premier League.
"We had to pin their centre-backs and full-backs because they had too much ball in our half. We went two up front to change it round. The subs made an impact. Southampton are a high pressing team and their numbers drop off. We knew we'd get some joy in the second half.
"It's been a disappointment tonight because so many players played below the standards they have played. It's frustrating. Southampton are a very good team that recently held Man City and only lost once at home this season. They played well tonight.
"At this moment we are just concentrating on our next game. We don't know where the league table will be in five or six games."
Analysis from Sky Sports' Dan Long:
Barring a few brief weeks of respite, Norwich have suffered a severe case of deja vu on their return to the Premier League. There is never just a single defeat; only several in succession and, this term, they have exited the relegation zone just once.
Coming into the trip to Southampton for Friday Night Football off the back of heavy defeats to Manchester City and Liverpool, it was immediately clear that there was a gulf in class at St Mary's, and with so many bodies back to defend when they were put under pressure, Dean Smith's men held their hosts at bay for long periods, which was key if they wanted to try and salvage some much-needed points for the relegation scrap they find themselves at the very centre of.
But they showed Southampton too much respect at times throughout the game and were second best in so many departments, not least in attack, where frontman Teemu Pukki touched the ball just four times in the first half. They seldom looked like adding to their miserable tally of seven goals scored away from home in 2021/22.
By the time the second half began, they were already a goal down, after Che Adams had hooked the ball over the line from point-blank range, and it could quite easily have been more than two had Ralph Hasenhuttl's side have been more clinical and not fired so many of their 27 attempts straight at ex-Saints goalkeeper Angus Gunn.
With 26 games played and just 17 points to their name so far, it is no surprise the Canaries are rooted to the bottom of the table and five from safety. And as many of the teams around them have multiple games in hand, Norwich have arrived at the point where every single Premier League game needs to be treated as though it is a cup final.
Sky Sports' Jamie Carragher: "Before the goal went in, I was debating who the man of the match was between Oriol Romeu and Stuart Armstrong.
"The goal just sealed the deal for Armstrong, who was excellent, but Romeu really is a class act.
"I love watching him play. He brings a calmness and composure, and you could see that in the strike as well. He connected with the ball so sweetly."
Sky Sports' Gary Neville: "I thought Romeu was the best player on the pitch."
Southampton host West Ham in the FA Cup fifth round on Wednesday at 7.30pm before returning to Premier League action next Saturday at Aston Villa; kick-off 3pm.
Norwich visit Liverpool in the FA Cup fifth round on Wednesday at 8.15pm before hosting Brentford next Saturday in the Premier League at 3pm.
