Southampton won a Premier League away game for the first time this season and ended a six-match losing top-flight run as they stunned a wasteful Ipswich Town 2-1 at Portman Road on Saturday afternoon.
Without main goalkeeper Christian Walton due to a new injury, Kieran McKenna had no choice to promote mistake magnet Arijanet Muric back to his first XI, and the inevitable happened for the 26-year-old in the first half.
Joe Aribo opened the scoring for the Saints after yet another Muric error, but Ipswich marksman Liam Delap spared his goalkeeper's blushes with a clinical - and deserved - leveller just after the half-hour mark.
The improving hosts should have smelled blood when Southampton lost Taylor Harwood-Bellis and his replacement Jack Stephens to injury, but they failed to make the most of their openings and were condemned to defeat by an 87th-minute Paul Onuachu effort, one that Muric was also partially culpable for.
While Southampton's dogged victory makes no difference to their 20th-placed standing in the Premier League table, Ipswich have missed the chance to climb out of the relegation zone after demotion rivals Leicester City were slain by Everton.
SPORTS MOLE'S VERDICT
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With just over 48 hours left in the January transfer window, might a new goalkeeper be on Ipswich's agenda?
Prior to Saturday's East Anglian encounter, only Chelsea's Robert Sanchez had made as many mistakes directly leading to a goal as Muric in the current Premier League season, but the 26-year-old is now out in front once more in that unwanted category.
Ipswich's under-fire shot-stopper had nowhere to hide after Aribo's effort somehow slipped through his grasp, and a simple solution to prevent Onuachu's winner would have surely been to just push the ball around the post for a corner.
However, the hosts' defeat was not purely down to Muric; the Tractor Boys failed to make the most of Southampton's double defensive loss at the start of the second half, cutting toothless figures and failing to really make Aaron Ramsdale work.
Ivan Juric's Saints had already been showing steady signs of improvement before Saturday's stunning success, one that significantly boosts their hopes of avoiding the Premier League's worst-ever points total and brings them to within eight points of safety.
Might the greatest of great escapes be brewing?
IPSWICH VS. SOUTHAMPTON HIGHLIGHTS
21st min: Ipswich 0-1 Southampton (Joe Aribo)
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In a tale as old as this season, Ipswich goalkeeper Muric does not cover himself in glory whatsoever!
Mateus Fernandes's cross from the right-hand side of the box takes a wicked deflection and loops into the path of the arriving Aribo, whose flying volley is going straight down Muric's throat.
However, the Tractor Boys goalkeeper inexplicably helps Aribo's effort on its way into the back of the net - another horror moment for the man who has made more errors leading to a goal than any other Premier League player this season.
31st min: Ipswich 1-1 Southampton (Liam Delap)
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Just sixteen seconds after punting the ball forward, Ramsdale is picking it out of his own net! The Saints lose possession almost immediately inside the Ipswich half, and Nathan Broadhead finds Delap in acres of space.
Jan Bednarek is the only Southampton defender back - the Saints' backline is at complete sixes and sevens - and his desperate swipe at Delap is fruitless.
One-on-one with Ramsdale, the former Manchester City man keeps his composure and finishes low into the goal to bring the hosts level.
87th min: Ipswich 1-2 Southampton (Paul Onuachu)
I think this is what they call a turn up for the books! Saints substitute Kamaldeen Sulemana cuts inside from the left and tries to beat Muric at his near post, but the Ipswich goalkeeper is equal to it.
However, rather than push the ball round the post for a corner, Muric parries Sulemana's shot back into the danger area, and Onuachu pounces quickest on his latest mistake to send the visitors ahead!
MAN OF THE MATCH - JOE ARIBO
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While Ipswich striker Delap put himself about all afternoon, the Tractor Boys marksman did not make the most of his second-half openings and is pipped to the man-of-the-match post by the catalyst for the visitors' stunning win.
Aribo literally received two helping hands for his strike from Muric, but he connected with his flying volley with grace and also put in four tackles and two interceptions in the middle of the park, losing just one of his seven ground duels.
IPSWICH VS. SOUTHAMPTON MATCH STATS
Possession: Ipswich 57%-43% Southampton
Shots: Ipswich 15-9 Southampton
Shots on target: Ipswich 6-4 Southampton
Corners: Ipswich 1-2 Southampton
Fouls: Ipswich 11-14 Southampton
WHAT NEXT?
Ipswich and Southampton can temporarily forget about their relegation fears next weekend, as the Tractor Boys face Coventry City in the FA Cup fourth round, while the Saints host Burnley.
In terms of top-flight matters, McKenna's side have a daunting trip to Aston Villa in the diary for February 15, the same day that Juric's men host Bournemouth in a South Coast showdown.
Ben Knapton
