Bournemouth survived a second-half scare to triumph 3-1 over Premier League basement boys Southampton and enhance their European credentials at St Mary's.
Having already been brought crashing back down to earth with their loss to Burnley in the FA Cup, the Saints' plight showed no signs of abating in the first half, where Ryan Christie ran Ivan Juric's men ragged.
The Cherries midfielder laid on the assist for Dango Ouattara's opener before finding the back of the net himself with a cracking strike not long after, and boos rang out from the home faithful at half time as Andoni Iraola's men went into the break in full control.
However, Bournemouth then ceded control to the hosts in the second period and were in for a nervy finish when Kamaldeen Sulemana pulled one back, but that strike sparked the visitors back into life again, as Marcus Tavernier put the seal on their victory.
Still just one point behind Manchester City, Bournemouth have leapfrogged Newcastle United and Chelsea into fifth place in the Premier League table on goal difference, while the nine-point Saints remain cut adrift at the foot of the rankings.
SPORTS MOLE'S VERDICT
© Imago
They made harder work of it than they should have done, but Bournemouth earned the South Coast bragging rights at St Mary's, and Iraola's men have every right to continue dreaming their Champions League dream.
With Southampton offering very little fight in the first half, Christie took it upon himself to teach the Saints a lesson, and unless your name is Mohamed Salah, you may not find a better goal-assist combination all season long in terms of quality.
What should have been a comfortable second half for the visitors was anything but - Iraola will no doubt be furious with his players' lack of application during a 20-minute period in particular - but Sulemana's fine finish turned out to be the wake-up call that the Cherries needed.
Bournemouth have now gone unbeaten in each of their last seven away games in the Premier League, but for Southampton - whose fans should be miffed by their side conceding immediately after Sulemana gave them hope - the Championship beckons.
SOUTHAMPTON VS. BOURNEMOUTH HIGHLIGHTS
14th min: Southampton 0-1 Bournemouth (Dango Ouattara)
© Imago
Another hat-trick calling? Ouattara opens the scoring for the visitors, but this one is all about the ball in from Christie.
Bournemouth's number 10 has all the time in the world out on the left half-space to deliver an inch-perfect cross onto the head of Ouattara, whose aerial flick kisses the inside of the post on its way in.
Brilliant delivery, brilliant header, but atrocious defending from Southampton; Ouattara had far too much space in between Jan Bednarek and Nathan Wood.
16th min: Southampton 0-2 Bournemouth (Ryan Christie)
© Imago
The provider becomes the goalscorer, and if Christie's pinpoint assist for Ouattara was a thing of beauty, the Scotland international's long-range drive is equally exquisite.
Bednarek initially does well to snuff out a Bournemouth attack, but the Polish defender then immediately gifts possession to Justin Kluivert, who lays off Christie in space.
The 29-year-old takes one touch, opens up his body and arrows a left-footed strike into the bottom corner from just outside the D.
72nd min: Southampton 1-2 Bournemouth (Kamaldeen Sulemana)
A flicker of hope for the hosts!
Bournemouth have taken their foot off the gas in recent minutes and are made to pay, as Paul Onuachu finds a gap on the edge of the box and prods the ball through to Sulemana, who finds the far corner with a powerful left-footed strike.
83rd min: Southampton 1-3 Bournemouth (Marcus Tavernier)
And that flicker of hope has been extinguished.
Bournemouth have immediately woken up after conceding and restore their two-goal lead, as Antoine Semenyo leads a late attack through the centre of the pitch before laying off Tavernier.
The 25-year-old drives inside far too easily, lets fly with his left foot from just inside the box and sees his effort sail into the bottom corner. Aaron Ramsdale may have got a hand on it, but Tavernier's strike simply had too much venom.
MAN OF THE MATCH - RYAN CHRISTIE
© Imago
Providing two moments of individual magic in the space of just two minutes in the first half, Bournemouth fulcrum Christie could not have delivered his cross for Ouattara or picked his spot for his own goal with better accuracy.
Furthermore, the Scot won four of his five aerial duels and sprayed accurate balls across the field with panache all day, completing five long passes to his teammates at St Mary's.
SOUTHAMPTON VS. BOURNEMOUTH MATCH STATS
Possession: Southampton 45%-55% Bournemouth
Shots: Southampton 11-14 Bournemouth
Shots on target: Southampton 4-7 Bournemouth
Corners: Southampton 4-6 Bournemouth
Fouls: Southampton 13-15 Bournemouth
BEST STAT
Justin Kluivert club career:
— StatMuse FC (@statmusefc) February 15, 2025
100 G/A
63 goals
37 assists pic.twitter.com/WyrSvnbin3
WHAT NEXT?
Taking part in their second South Coast battle in the space of as many gameweeks, Southampton now prepare to host Brighton & Hove Albion at St Mary's on February 22 at 3pm.
Bournemouth will also be back on their own patch next Saturday afternoon, as Iraola's side square up to relegation-threatened Wolverhampton Wanderers.
Ben Knapton
