Report: Five-star Saints hammer league leaders

The Lions took a first-half lead few could argue they deserved when Mark Sykes’ low drive deflected in off unfortunate debutant Keven Schlotterbeck, as Saints took time to settle.

But after Ryan Manning rattled the post from distance, the Irishman delivered a trademark free-kick on to the head of Cyle Larin to level the scores.

Leo Scienza’s burst to the byline and chipped cross laid the ball on a plate for Finn Azaz to make it 2-1, before Kyrell Lisbie spurned a golden chance on the stroke of half time that Millwall would be left to rue.

After James Ward-Prowse was introduced at the interval to make his emotional return, replacing the injured Flynn Downes, Azaz won a penalty converted by Scienza, before Larin superbly volleyed in Saints’ fourth with a piece of individual brilliance.

Tom Fellows rounded off the perfect afternoon by scoring his long-awaited first goal for the club as Saints climbed off the bottom of the table in some style.

Tonda Eckert handed a debut to one of his new signings, as Schlotterbeck replaced Jack Stephens at the heart of the Saints defence, but homecoming hero Ward-Prowse would have to settle for a place on the bench as Downes captained the side.

Elsewhere, Cameron Bragg replaced Tom Fellows in the only other change from the last league outing, a 3-1 victory over Stoke that gave Saints their first points of the season.

That result meant a win over the early season pacesetters would move Saints into positive points for the first time, wiping out the four-point deduction imposed by the EFL in the summer.

Flynn Downes led Saints out as captain, but was forced off at half time through injury

The Lions were straight on the front foot, with Taïryk Arconte forcing a save from Daniel Peretz inside the first two minutes, before Manning picked up an early yellow card, which may have been necessary with Millwall mounting a counter-attack, while Sykes received the same punishment for pulling back Scienza.

Summer signing Arconte, who scored twice against Norwich last weekend, looked a threat on the break, and Nathan Wood recovered well to block his shot after the Guadeloupe international raced in behind.

Wood had to be alert once more to beat the winger to a low cross, but his clearance was picked up by Sykes, whose low drive from the right corner of the penalty area deflected in off Schlotterbeck to beat the helpless Peretz.

Millwall were showing why they had arrived at St Mary’s with four wins out of four in league and cup.

Saints responded to falling behind with a speculative 20-yard effort from Scienza, who claimed a deflection in vain as his shot soared harmlessly over, but the visitors had enjoyed the better of the opening quarter.

Manning went close to following up his late penalty against Stoke with a strike that would have been far more spectacular, stepping on to Scienza’s short corner and bending the ball against Max Crocombe’s right-hand post.

It was an attempt deserving of an equaliser, but St Mary’s would not have long to wait as Manning’s left foot created one instead, delivering a perfect outswinging free-kick from the inside-left channel that was headed down into the bottom corner by Larin, who now has four goals already at the start of the new season.

Saints had their tails up now, as Manning carved out more chaos with a run down the left and low cross. Coming in at the far post was James Bree, who was determined to meet it with full force but ended up connecting with his opponent rather than the ball, leaving Millwall’s Lisbie in a heap and the Northam End chanting Bree’s name.

Cyle Larin celebrates his fourth goal of the season to level the scores in the first half

This game was a proper Championship affair. Downes and Bragg thundered into tackles; Casper De Norre could not believe he was penalised for sliding in to dispossess the Saints skipper.

The hosts were standing up to the physical challenge and embracing it. Bree drilled a low shot wide via a deflection, before Scienza’s artistry opened up the Millwall defence for Azaz to tap home from virtually on the goal line, as the Brazilian scuttled past Caleb Taylor and lifted the ball over goalkeeper Max Crocombe for Azaz to score.

Saints had wrestled control, but Millwall were left cursing a gilt-edged chance to equalise when Arconte squared the ball across goal for Lisbie, who had to score from eight yards only to steer the ball against Peretz’s left-hand post with half of the goal gaping.

A blood-and-thunder half ended with Downes on the deck and ultimately unable to continue, prompting the half-time introduction of Ward-Prowse to rapturous applause as Manning assumed the captaincy.

Inspired by Ward-Prowse’s arrival or not, Saints went up a gear. When Azaz tiptoed his way into the box and sidestepped Jake Cooper, the Millwall captain brought him down and Scienza stepped up to dispatch the penalty, stuttering midway through his run up before firing past Crocombe’s outstretched right hand.

Saints were not finished there, as a moment of magic from Larin made it four shortly after the hour mark.

Azaz did well to keep his feet in the build-up and force the ball into his path, before the Canadian lifted the bouncing ball over the head of Taylor with the outside of his boot, watched it drop on to his left foot and connected sweetly on the volley to beat Crocombe with the goal of the game, and quite possibly the season.

The New Zealand international keeper did prevent a Larin hat-trick when the striker went through one on one before he was replaced by Divin Mubama, while Scienza also made way for Fellows.

Whilst a Ward-Prowse goal might have been the ultimate party piece, a close second would have been to see Fellows finally break his duck, and the winger’s moment duly arrived to cap a five-star Saints display.

When another replacement, Lewis Dobbin, saw his cutback hopelessly cleared straight to Fellows, the winger seized the chance with a low shot that squirmed through Crocombe’s grasp.

Mubama did his teammate no favours by straining every sinew as the ball rolled agonisingly towards the goal line, but no touch was apparent as Fellows wheeled away to milk his big moment.

It was party time at St Mary’s, as Saints moved off the bottom of the Championship table and knocked Millwall off the top, all with Ward-Prowse back in his beloved red and white and a striker seemingly at the peak of his powers.

Southampton: Peretz, Bree, Wood, Schlotterbeck (Stephens 87), Manning, Downes (c) (Ward-Prowse 46), Bragg, Matsuki (Dobbin 81), Azaz, Scienza (Fellows 71), Larin (Mubama 71).

Subs not used: Long, Welington, Akachukwu, Edozie.

Goals: Larin (25’, 63’), Azaz (38’), Scienza (56’ pen), Fellows (86).

Booked: Manning.

Millwall: Crocombe, Sykes, Taylor, Cooper (c), Sturge (Baggott 71), Neghli, De Norre, Metcalfe (Lovelace 79), Arconte (Kelly 71), Coburn (Dykes 80), Lisbie (Cundle 61).

Subs not used: Coleman, Batth, Osei-Tutu, Massey.

Goals: Sykes (15’).

Booked: Sykes.

Attendance: 29,167.

Referee: Adam Herczeg.