Leicester hit four at St Mary's

The Foxes flew out of the blocks to take the lead inside 21 seconds, when familiar foe Jamie Vardy pounced on a loose ball to break the deadlock in the blink of an eye.

Saints responded well to the setback, as Ché Adams was twice denied by goalkeeper Mads Hermansen, but found themselves 2-0 down when Kasey McAteer dispatched Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall’s pass.

The hosts got the goal their attacking play deserved when Samuel Edozie’s cool finish gave them a foothold, only for Wilfred Ndidi to add Leicester’s third in first-half stoppage time, just as Russell Martin would have hoped to turn the tide during the break.

Adam Armstrong and Ryan Fraser both had chances to pull another goal back after the interval, but instead Stephy Mavididi raced away to finish the job for the visitors and inflict back-to-back heavy defeats on Saints, who ended the game with ten men after the stoppage-time dismissal of Kamaldeen Sulemana.

Martin had two weeks to stew on his side’s 5-0 drubbing at Sunderland last time out, and reacted by making four changes to his starting line-up.

That included a debut for Taylor Harwood-Bellis and a first start for Fraser, while Shea Charles and Adams also came into the team, as Mason Holgate, Stuart Armstrong and Sékou Mara dropped to the bench, with Jan Bednarek not fit to feature at all after picking up an injury on international duty with Poland.

Saints found themselves 2-0 down inside seven minutes at the Stadium of Light, and Martin would have impressed on his players the importance of a sharper start, but instead they were dealt a dose of déjà vu as Saints found themselves behind early again, this time within 21 seconds of kick-off.

Mavididi escaped down the left flank and crossed low, via a deflection, for Vardy to finish with a crisp low left-footer from ten yards.

There was further panic when Harwood-Bellis’s pass out of defence was intercepted by Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall, but the debutant redeemed himself with a crucial block.

Ryan Fraser slides into a tackle on his first Saints start

Saints were stunned, but responded by pouring forward. Edozie’s clever pass in behind the defence found Ché Adams, who tried to return the favour, only for James Justin to make a timely intervention.

Next time Adams went alone, coming inside on to his right foot and firing goalwards, but Hermansen was well positioned to make a diving save to his left.

Hermansen was bailing out Leicester again when Will Smallbone caught Harry Winks in possession on the edge of his own box, but there was hesitation between Adams and Flynn Downes, which allowed the keeper time to shut down the angle, spread himself and deny the Scotland international.

When the resulting corner flashed across the six-yard box, it seemed a matter of time before Saints would equalise, but instead Leicester doubled their lead.

It was becoming a recurring theme; both sides taking chances with the ball in their own territory and getting punished, as Smallbone’s pass to Kyle Walker-Peters was picked off near the right touchline and Dewsbury-Hall spotted McAteer in space on the far side of the box, who made no mistake when one on one with Bazunu.

Leicester suffered a taste of their own medicine when Callum Doyle was indecisive and Saints capitalised, as Adams released Edozie with a defence-splitting pass that deserved a finish and got one – a cheeky dink from the winger over the advancing Hermansen for his second goal in successive home games.

Samuel Edozie follows up his first career goal against QPR with another cool finish

Saints were nearly level when an improbable deflection off Mavididi nearly looped in, but the hosts would have Bazunu to thank for keeping them in the game when the Irishman made a full-length diving save to keep out Ndidi’s low drive, before standing up to Mavididi as the winger raced through.

This was a game that felt like the last ten minutes of a cup tie from the very first whistle, as both sides poured forward, prepared to take risks to score goals. That left gaps to be exploited, and made for a very watchable contest.

Saints might have drawn level after Walker-Peters was scythed down by Dewsbury-Hall, who was booked, and Ryan Manning delivered for Harwood-Bellis, whose header was theatrically claimed by Hermansen.

But with Saints pushing for 2-2, they would find themselves trailing 3-1 at the interval when Mavididi stayed on his feet and found Ndidi, who skipped inside Harwood-Bellis’s challenge and beat Bazunu in the final minute of added time.

Martin reacted by replacing goalscorer Edozie with Kamaldeen, making his first appearance of the season, at half time.

Within five minutes of the restart, Downes was unable to continue, prompting the introduction of Carlos Alcaraz, whose first touch was a curling free-kick that sailed a couple of yards wide.

Ryan Fraser tests Mads Hermansen as Saints hunted another goal back

Kamaldeen’s first run carried him beyond James Justin, who can’t have faced many quicker wingers, to the byline and brought the home fans to their feet.

Then another cross from the left was headed back across goal by the diminutive figure of Fraser for Armstrong, but the skipper fired wildly off target from eight yards.

Fraser stung the palms of Hermansen as Saints kept pushing, but Leicester might have had the game wrapped up by then, had Mavididi not shot wide when put clean through on goal.

The Derby-born winger would not make the same mistake midway through the second half, when Kamaldeen sold Smallbone short, and Leicester’s summer signing nipped in to nick the ball and off he went.

This time he had Dewsbury-Hall in support ready for a tap in, but Mavididi was determined to score himself and made no mistake with an accurate low finish across Bazunu’s dive.

A bad night was made worse deep into stoppage time when Kamaldeen was shown a straight red card for a challenge on Justin.

Saints undoubtedly had enough chances to beat Hermansen more than once, but the more pressing concern will be the goals conceded as Leicester showcased their promotion credentials with a ruthless display.

Saints: Bazunu, Walker-Peters, Charles, Harwood-Bellis, Manning, Downes (Alcaraz 50), Smallbone, A. Armstrong (c), Edozie (Kamaldeen 46), Adams (Aribo 78), Fraser (S. Armstrong 68).

Subs not used: McCarthy, Holgate, Bree, Amo-Ameyaw, Mara.

Goals: Edozie (25).

Yellow cards: Smallbone.

Red cards: Kamaldeen.

Leicester: Hermansen, Justin, Vestergaard, Doyle, Pereira, Ndidi (Casadei 58), Winks (Choudhury 84), Dewsbury-Hall (Akgün 84), Mavididi, Vardy (c) (Iheanacho 84), McAteer (Fatawu 70).

Subs not used: Stolarczyk, Faes, Coady, Daka.

Goals: Vardy (1), McAteer (17), Ndidi (45+3), Mavididi (67).

Yellow cards: Dewsbury-Hall, Winks.

Referee: Robert Madley

Attendance: 28,877