Russell Martin doesn’t hold back after watching his Southampton side bottle 2-0 lead to lose 3-2 against Leicester City.
Cameron Archer and Joe Aribo had put the Saints two up by the 28th minute, but goals from Facundo Buonanotte, Jamie Vardy and Jordan Ayew secured a stunning comeback from Steve Cooper’s men, scenes in the away end in the 98th minute as the Foxes snatched all three points.
Southampton remain bottom of the Premier League table with 1 point from 8 games, while Leicester sit 14th with 9 points from the same amount of games played.
Laura Kenyon (reporting for BBC Final Score at St Mary’s Stadium): “Russell Martin looks absolutely despondent.
“Southampton let slip a two goal lead after a dominant first half display. After Ryan Fraser’s red card ten man Saints clung in for a point but it was heartbreak right at the end.
“Boos ring out around St Mary’s Stadium.
“One of the most difficult days at the office Russell Martin is bound to have. It was going so well. As close to a complete performance in the first half as you could wish for. Before total capitulation.
“Things spiralled after the Ryan Fraser red card and full credit to Leicester, they took the game on and the experience of two veteran strikers wins them the game. Cue wild celebrations from Jordan Ayew, as well as the travelling fans, who are yet to leave the ground despite stewards’ efforts.”
Player ratings:
Southampton: Ramsdale (5), Sugawara (7), Harwood-Bellis (6), Bednarek, (6), Walker-Peters (7), Dibling (7), Aribo (7), Downes (6), Fernandes (6), Manning (7), Archer (7)
Subs: Fraser (4), Smallbone (6), Onuachu (5), Taylor (6), Sulemana (5)
Leicester: Hermansen (7), Justin (7), Faes (7), Okoli (7), Kristiansen (7), Skipp (6), Ndidi (6), Buonanotte (8), El Khannouss (6), Mavididi (5), Vardy (7)
Subs: Winks (7), Fatawu (8), Ayew (7), De Cordova-Reid (n/a)
Player of the Match: Abdul Fatawu
“It’s about taking responsibility and doing what you’re asked to do” 😤
Russell Martin did not hold back in his criticism after Southampton conceded a 98th-minute corner in their 3-2 loss to Leicester ❌ pic.twitter.com/VYGPML0qwE
— Sky Sports News (@SkySportsNews) October 20, 2024
Southampton manager Russell Martin, speaking to BBC Match of the Day: “I think the sending off changes the game. We started the game so well, the second half so well, their goal came out of nothing. Then Ryan gets sent off and the game becomes really difficult.
“I thought we were better in the start of the second half then the end of the first half. We didn’t take our chances to get the third goal. Then someone gets sent off and it changes the whole context.
“I think with VAR I can’t have any complaints, it is what it is.”
On goal coming after end of added time: “It’s the referee’s prerogative to add the time on he feels has been added on in injury time. He told our players it was the final action, so we have to defend it properly.”
On the message to the players: “To understand what’s hurt us, to understand what has put us into a 2-0 lead in a really brilliant performance. But right now there is no message I can give that is helpful because of the emotion everyone is feeling. Give everyone to digest that and the process will continue.”
On his message to the fans: “The fans have been brilliant since I’ve been here. I’m not sure the boos were directed at their team because the team were giving everything. My message is to be really supportive, they’ve been great.”
On the message to fans questioning his future: “I’ve nothing to say apart from that I need to keep working and we need to win a game of football. I hope they will always turn up and support their team, they’ve been amazing.”
Leicester manager Steve Cooper, speaking to Sky Sports: “It was obviously a brilliant day and will hopefully be memorable for the season. We look at the first half and we haven’t defended the goals well enough but I actually felt we were always in the game.
“Although we should have done better, I was also pretty confident that the game could change. We just asked the players to really believe in themselves and stick together and that’s what we did.
“Today is a really good show of how together we are. That’s what you need to have if you want to reach objectives which is what we are trying to do. It’s a brilliant win, a brilliant win for the supporters, we’ve got to learn, continue to improve, continue to strive, and we’ll continue to get better as well.”
On Abdul Fatawu’s impact: “We love him. He hasn’t played for a couple of games now. He’s a really exciting young player who still has things to learn, he’s transitioning to the Premier League. We are going to give him everything to play at the level he played today. That’s him taking an opportunity, showing who he is and what he can do. A brilliant example of a young player taking opportunities and performing on the stage.”
On Jordan Ayew’s goal: “It was great instinctive decision making from the players. We were a little disappointed we didn’t score from set plays in the first half. We want that to be a good part of our game as well. Players coming off the bench and doing their bit as well is exactly what we want as well. I’ve got to look at what wasn’t right in the first half as well, but it’s just a good day for the supporters and players.”
Leicester manager Steve Cooper, speaking to BBC Match of the Day: “I always felt we were in the game in the first half, we should do better with the goals and some bits tactically but I always felt we were more than in the game.
“We missed a couple of good chances, hit the woodwork, but obviously you are 2-0 down and there is a real job to do.
“At half-time it was about belief and sticking together and really believing that the game wasn’t over. In the second half, we showed our quality, we showed our aggression in the game, and completely controlled the second half and looked like the team who were going to score and score again.
“In the end, the way that you win hopefully becomes a memorable day for the team, the staff and most importantly the supporters.”
On Abdul Fatawu’s role: “He’s not started for a few games now, he’s an exciting young player who is transitioning into becoming a Premier League player and that isn’t always straightforward. He took his opportunities, he’s really taken on board some of the bits we’re helping with. It was a really good show of Abdul and what he can offer.”
On the impact of the red card and penalty: “There was still a lot of time to go in the game to believe the chances would come and we just left it right to the end. I haven’t seen the decisions, but we were due a couple of good decisions if you look at our season so far.”
On getting back to back wins: “Back to back wins for a newly promoted team – and I try not to say that too much because of Leicester’s standing – is hard to come by. Home and away, six points, really gives us a lot of reference points to kick on, continue to improve and hopefully win more games sooner or later.”
Leicester’s Jordan Ayew, speaking to Sky Sports: “It’s just unbelievable, that’s why we play football. We didn’t have a good first half. Second half we got ourselves back together and attacked the game properly. It’s just an unbelievable feeling. It’s a good step forward to move up the table. We’re going to continue fighting and it’s not going to be easy so well done the lads and everyone.”
On Abdul Fatawu’s impact: “We know his pace, his quality. He’s been fantastic since he came in, even last season. He’s still young but what he did today he needs to keep up.”
On the team talk at half time: “He just said one or two things. We have a good squad and we just stepped up our game, that’s why we scored three goals and are pleased.”
On the boost from winning two games in a row: “It should give us confidence, belief that we can do it. We will keep working hard and hopefully get more wins.”
Leicester’s Jordan Ayew, speaking to BBC Match of the Day: “Massive three points, back to back wins especially after the international break is not easy. We did well, we fought, we pushed them and pushed ourselves as well and got the three points. Onto the next one.”
On the change between the two halves: “I just think there was more desire, more intent, more positivity in our mindset. That’s what made a difference.”
On staying on the edge of the box for his goal: “It was just natural instinct. Luckily the ball came, it wasn’t easy but I managed to score. We’re all happy and hopefully there is more to come.
“Everyone was happy and that’s what we play football for, these kinds of moments.”
On getting back to back wins: “We just need to stay humble because we were losing 2-0 so all is not perfect. It’s not going to be every weekend like this, it’s going to be tough. But we have a quality group, we believe in ourselves, we believe in our manager. We are going to give our best for the club.”
On their strength in depth: “We are a group of 25 or 26 players and everyone will play a part this season. It’s not only 11 players and we all need to stay positive and work hard for the team.”
Here’s how fans reacted as Russell Martin doesn’t hold back after Southampton bottle 2-0 lead to lose 3-2 against Leicester…
@JamesCarr02: One person had one job to do and that was you Russell! 2-0 up and you don’t react in the correct way to a game changing substitution from the opposition. Bringing on Fraser instead of Taylor was criminal, don’t go throwing anyone else under the bridge! #saintsfc
@Willis64761622: Bringing on Fraser cost us the game. Managers error and that’s that get him gone. Have to beat both Everton and wolves to stand any chance and we’d do well to get a point with this gaffer in charge. 0 game management
@willlester37: I was RM out after the final whistle, now wondering if we just give him a few more games until the international break. What manager is going to come in and keep this team up? They’d need to win nearly half their games in charge. Gutting the season is over so early #SaintsFC
@wreeslong: Completely unforgivable – premier league was always going to be difficult for Martin but this is completely inexcusable.
@callum3081: Absolutely fucking disgraceful… Don’t think I’ve been this angry in a long long time… The game was comfortable and we go and make changes like that and within 10 minutes you’ve thrown everything away. Sickening and an absolute embarrassment! FUCK OFF SAINTS 👍
@tblackwood23: Poor refereeing aside, we’ve conceded twice now with the last kick of the game for not marking on the edge of the box from corners, which has cost us 4 points. Shambolic! #SaintsFC
@rhysgorry: Russel Martin has to go unfortunately
@C0AKESY: Hahahahaha 2-0 up at halftime and we throw it away like this, bunch of overpaid tools. Fuming. #SaintsFC
@jasonhickman: #RelegatedByChristmas 🤬
@Oj_Soyerx: Get him gone tonight fucking terrible. This team is good enough to stay up. It just needs someone who is willing to adapt and change to circumstances. Ryan Fraser wasn’t good enough to start in the championship, so what makes him think he’s good enough for the prem?
@SFCMW_: Southampton FC is not a real football establishment but a long cruel social experiment to study how much pain and grief one can withstand in a single lifetime #saintsfc
@TYSONDURAN: Why are we as a club and fan base so accepting of mediocrity? The number of people who seem OK with relegation. Stop making excuses for failure. It’s OK to demand and expect a competitive football club. We deserve to be here. Where has the ambition gone? #Saintsfc
@AdeMcKenzie: Our DOF leaves – not replaced. Set piece coach leaves- not replaced. RM given contract extension – his system bombs in EPL as most of us predicted. Sport Republic & the board are as culpable as Martin in the shitshow that is #SaintsFC right now. Disgraceful mismanagement IMHO
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