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Southampton moved to within a point of Premier League safety after beating fellow strugglers Leicester City and increasing the pressure on their manager Brendan Rodgers.
Carlos Alcaraz gave Southampton the lead after 35 minutes, firing an effort past Leicester keeper Danny Ward.
Three minutes earlier, Ward had saved Saints captain James Ward-Prowse’s penalty after Timothy Castagne blocked a cross with his arm in the area.
Leicester’s Harry Souttar should have levelled the match in injury time but could only head the ball against the crossbar after Southampton keeper Gavin Bazunu was beaten by a James Maddison cross.
Southampton’s victory was just their second at home in the league this season and moved them off the foot of the table into 19th, one point behind 17th-placed Leeds and a position of safety.
Leicester could have gone as high as 12th with a win, but instead remain 15th, three points clear of the drop zone.
Saints off bottom with rare home win
Southampton came into their fixture at St Mary’s off the back of a dismal loss to League Two Grimsby Town in the FA Cup fifth round on Wednesday and were aiming to avoid a club record sixth straight home defeat.
With supporters still reeling from Ward-Prowse’s penalty failure, Che Adams played through Alcaraz, who beat both the offside trap and Leicester keeper Ward with a driven shot into the bottom right corner.
It was the Argentine’s second goal for Southampton since joining from Racing Club in January and he received a standing ovation from the home fans when he limped off with a knock after 50 minutes.
Ruben Selles’ side held on for just a sixth league victory of the season, creating little in the second half as they dropped back and defended resolutely.
The result boosted their survival chances with the hosts hoping to become the first side to beat the drop having been bottom of the Premier League on 1 March since Leicester in 2015.
More to follow.
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Southampton
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Squad number31Player nameBazunu
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Squad number3Player nameMaitland-Niles
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Squad number35Player nameBednarek
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Squad number37Player nameBella-Kotchap
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Squad number2Player nameWalker-Peters
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Squad number8Player nameWard-Prowse
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Squad number45Player nameLavia
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Squad number32Player nameWalcott
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Squad number26Player nameAlcaraz
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Squad number20Player nameSulemana
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Squad number10Player nameAdams
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Squad number9Player nameA Armstrong
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Squad number17Player nameS Armstrong
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Squad number18Player nameMara
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Squad number24Player nameElyounoussi
Leicester City
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Squad number1Player nameWard
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Squad number21Player nameRicardo Pereira
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Squad number15Player nameSouttar
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Squad number3Player nameFaes
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Squad number27Player nameCastagne
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Squad number22Player nameDewsbury-Hall
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Squad number24Player nameMendy
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Squad number37Player nameTetê
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Squad number10Player nameMaddison
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Squad number7Player nameBarnes
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Squad number14Player nameIheanacho
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Squad number9Player nameVardy
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Squad number25Player nameNdidi
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Squad number26Player namePraet
Line-ups
Southampton
Formation 4-2-3-1
- 31Bazunu
- 3Maitland-Niles
- 35Bednarek
- 37Bella-Kotchap
- 2Walker-Peters
- 8Ward-ProwseBooked at 90mins
- 45Lavia
- 32WalcottSubstituted forA Armstrongat 63′minutesBooked at 77mins
- 26AlcarazBooked at 21minsSubstituted forElyounoussiat 50′minutes
- 20SulemanaSubstituted forS Armstrongat 80′minutes
- 10AdamsBooked at 62minsSubstituted forMaraat 63′minutes
Substitutes
- 9A Armstrong
- 12Onuachu
- 13Caballero
- 15Perraud
- 17S Armstrong
- 18Mara
- 19Djenepo
- 22Salisu
- 24Elyounoussi
Leicester
Formation 4-2-3-1
- 1Ward
- 21Ricardo Pereira
- 15Souttar
- 3Faes
- 27Castagne
- 22Dewsbury-Hall
- 24MendySubstituted forNdidiat 68′minutes
- 37TetêSubstituted forVardyat 68′minutes
- 10MaddisonBooked at 45mins
- 7BarnesBooked at 43minsSubstituted forPraetat 45′minutes
- 14Iheanacho
Substitutes
- 4Söyüncü
- 9Vardy
- 18Amartey
- 20Daka
- 25Ndidi
- 26Praet
- 31Iversen
- 33Thomas
- 42Soumaré
- Referee:
- Robert Jones
- Attendance:
- 30,139
Live Text
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Match ends, Southampton 1, Leicester City 0.
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Second Half ends, Southampton 1, Leicester City 0.
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Harry Souttar (Leicester City) hits the bar with a header from the centre of the box. Assisted by James Maddison with a cross following a corner.
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Corner, Leicester City. Conceded by Armel Bella-Kotchap.
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James Ward-Prowse (Southampton) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.
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James Maddison (Leicester City) wins a free kick on the left wing.
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Foul by James Ward-Prowse (Southampton).
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Offside, Leicester City. Harry Souttar tries a through ball, but Jamie Vardy is caught offside.
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Foul by Kelechi Iheanacho (Leicester City).
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Armel Bella-Kotchap (Southampton) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
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Attempt missed. Sékou Mara (Southampton) left footed shot from outside the box is high and wide to the left. Assisted by James Ward-Prowse.
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Attempt missed. Wout Faes (Leicester City) header from the centre of the box misses to the right. Assisted by James Maddison with a cross following a corner.
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Corner, Leicester City. Conceded by Armel Bella-Kotchap.
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Attempt missed. Kelechi Iheanacho (Leicester City) left footed shot from outside the box is high and wide to the left. Assisted by Wout Faes.
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Substitution, Southampton. Stuart Armstrong replaces Kamaldeen Sulemana.
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Adam Armstrong (Southampton) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.
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James Maddison (Leicester City) wins a free kick on the left wing.
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Foul by Adam Armstrong (Southampton).
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Wilfred Ndidi (Leicester City) wins a free kick on the right wing.
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Foul by Roméo Lavia (Southampton).
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