Southampton were condemned to a humiliating eighth consecutive home defeat in the Premier League as Brighton & Hove Albion ran riot in a 4-0 trouncing at St Mary's.
A familiar sense of doom and gloom encompassed St Mary's in the first half, as a dominant Seagulls side deservedly went ahead through a sublime Joao Pedro finish and would have been good value for more.
Ivan Juric's team only racked up a meagre 0.05 Expected Goals (xG) in the opening 45, and just to rub salt into the wounds after Cameron Archer had a goal ruled out, Brighton soon went on the warpath.
Georginio Rutter, Kaoru Mitoma and Jack Hinshelwood also breached Aaron Ramsdale's net in a demolition job from Fabian Hurzeler's side, who were barely tested at the other end all afternoon.
Southampton's loss coupled with Wolverhampton Wanderers beating Bournemouth means that the Saints are now a whopping 13 points adrift of safety at the bottom of the Premier League table, while Brighton are up to eighth place with just a four-point gap to the Champions League places.
SPORTS MOLE'S VERDICT
© Imago
Barely anything has gone right for Southampton at home in the 2024-25 season, and following their latest solemn St Mary's afternoon, Juric's side are now part of an unwanted Premier League troupe.
Indeed, the Saints are now just the fourth side in the history of the competition to lose eight games in a row in front of their own fans, and if it was not already obvious, the Championship beckons for a side who could still break Derby County's unwanted points record.
While Southampton cannot buy a point at home and are second-tier bound, there is something about St Mary's that brings out the best in Brighton, who have now remarkably avoided defeat in all seven of their away games against the Saints in the Premier League.
Losing Danny Welbeck and Joel Veltman to injury just before the game had the potential to throw a spanner in the works - especially after the former's glorious display against Chelsea - but in reality, Hurzeler's side did not have to break too much of a sweat on the South Coast.
European football remains a realistic aim for the triumphant visitors, whose bright attacking quartet of Pedro, Rutter, Yankuba Minteh and Mitoma should strike fear into the hearts of all other 19 teams.
SOUTHAMPTON VS. BRIGHTON HIGHLIGHTS
23rd min: Southampton 0-1 Brighton (Joao Pedro)
© Iconsport
No Welbeck? No problem for Brighton! The Seagulls have been threatening to break the deadlock from the off, and their warranted opener arrives in exquisite fashion!
Substitute Armel Bella-Kotchap sticks a foot in on Rutter but only succeeds in playing in Pedro, who fakes to shoot once before lifting a gorgeous chip over a sprawling Ramsdale.
56th min: Southampton 0-2 Brighton (Georginio Rutter)
Another defensive error from the hosts, another goal for the visitors!
The bulldozer that is Rutter forces Joe Aribo into a mistake, and Minteh is quick to pounce on the loose ball on the right-hand side of the box before returning the favour to Rutter for a simple tap-in.
71st min: Southampton 0-3 Brighton (Kaoru Mitoma)
The dictionary definition of back to front.
No more than three passes unlock the Southampton defence, as Adam Webster sprays a ball through the exposed centre of the pitch to Pedro, whose delicate touch sets Mitoma through.
The Japan international bears down on Ramsdale's goal and channels his inner Pedro with a delightful dink into the back of the net. Game over.
81st min: Southampton 0-4 Brighton (Jack Hinshelwood)
A badge tap and a fist-pump from Hinshelwood as he makes it four for Brighton!
A corner from the left somehow evades everyone in red and white and falls for the Seagulls youngster, who takes the ball on his chest and fires into the bottom corner.
MAN OF THE MATCH - JOAO PEDRO
© Iconsport
With Welbeck stricken, Pedro took it upon himself to shine on the South Coast and produced two moments of attacking excellence, a beautiful lobbed finish and the most delicate of touches to set Mitoma away in the second half.
The Brazilian attacker created a total of two big chances on the day, while also winning two fouls and scoring with his only shot of the game, teaching Southampton a lesson in attacking ruthlessness.
SOUTHAMPTON VS. BRIGHTON MATCH STATS
Possession: Southampton 49%-51% Brighton
Shots: Southampton 6-18 Brighton
Shots on target: Southampton 1-12 Brighton
Corners: Southampton 5-6 Brighton
Fouls: Southampton 11-12 Brighton
BEST STATS
Yankuba Minteh had a hand in just three goals across his first 16 Premier League games.
— Opta Analyst (@OptaAnalyst) February 22, 2025
He's now been involved in five in his last five matches after getting an assist for Georginio Rutter today. pic.twitter.com/bOngtNRPd8
WHAT NEXT?
Midweek matters now take precedence for both teams, as Southampton face a tricky trip to Chelsea on Tuesday night, the same evening that Brighton host another South Coast counterpart in Bournemouth.
While the Saints then have an 11-day break in between clashes with Chelsea and leaders Liverpool (March 8), Hurzeler's side do not have the luxury of next weekend off, as they will butt heads with Newcastle United on March 2 for a place in the FA Cup quarter-finals.
Ben Knapton
