Report: Larin at the double as Saints hit four

Whilst the result may appear comprehensive, Saints had to work hard for the points. Coming under early pressure from the visitors, Larin’s sumptuous left-footed shot was a welcome relief to give the hosts a 1-0 half-time lead.

The Canadian added his second on the hour, his seventh in seven league outings this season and eighth overall, from close range, but City instantly replied through Lorent Tolaj.

Roared on by 3,000 travelling fans, the Robins pushed for a leveller, but late goals from Kuryu Matsuki and Finn Azaz gave the scoreline a one-sided look as Saints climbed into the play-off places for the first time in 2026/27.

Tonda Eckert rewarded Matsuki for his game-settling assist against Swansea with a return to the starting line-up, replacing Tom Fellows on the right wing in Saints’ only change.

City have proved tricky opponents over recent years, with Saints winning only one of the previous eight league meetings, and arrived at St Mary’s with no fear as manager Michael Skubala fielded two strikers in the form of Tolaj and Dom Ballard, the latter a former Saint who won the League One Player of the Year award at Leyton Orient last season.

A seventh-minute corner for the visitors led to the first chance, as Rio Cardines’ delivery flicked off the head of Larin and fell invitingly for skipper Jason Knight, whose half-volley was bound for the top corner until the flying figure of Daniel Peretz intervened.

When Nathan Wood got into a wrestling match with Tolaj soon after, Ballard had his first sight of goal, but this was a far easier stop for the Saints No. 1, who could simply fall on top of Ballard’s scuffed shot.

The Robins were relentless. Ballard, constantly playing on the shoulder, was in again from a long ball forward, lifting the ball over the advancing Peretz, but Keven Schlotterbeck raced back to clear off his own goal line as Saints survived another early scare.

Keven Schlotterbeck made two important first-half clearances

When the hosts were able to attack, City countered from a corner and Leo Scienza sprinted back to make a sliding tackle on Yu Hirakawa, bringing the loudest St Mary’s cheer of the day so far.

Another Schlotterbeck clearance was required from a Tolaj header at the end of an uncomfortable opening 20 minutes, but Saints slowly grew to their task.

Larin had a chance arguably more presentable than any of City’s to date when James Bree sent a measured cross towards the far post, but a combination of the bouncing ball and his marker did enough to deceive the in-form Canadian.

Then Matsuki stung the palms of goalkeeper Sam Tickle with a powerful right-footed drive, while Larin headed over from a floated Ryan Manning cross as Saints enjoyed their best spell.

The Championship Player of the Month was about to show exactly what he’s capable of. With the game falling into its first lull, and Saints having got to grips with City’s fast start, Larin received the ball from Azaz 30 yards out.

Taking a couple of tight touches to creep closer to the penalty area, he suddenly unleashed a perfectly-placed left-footed shot that rose spectacularly beyond Tickle’s outstretched arm and nestled beautifully into the far corner.

Cyle Larin celebrates his brilliant first-half opener

At the other end, Ballard’s fourth attempt of the first period was a glancing header just wide of the far post, leaving Larin leading the battle of the strikers at the halfway point.

Eckert was forced into a change at the interval, with Cameron Bragg replacing captain Flynn Downes in midfield as Ryan Manning took the armband.

Having lost some of their momentum before the break, the visitors looked reenergised and might have levelled the scores when Knight’s low cross flicked up off the boot of Peretz and Tolaj instinctively headed wide from 10 yards.

Eckert was incensed, along with the majority of Saints’ first 30,000-plus crowd of the season, when Lisav Eissat, recently booked, bundled Larin over right in front of the benches but no free-kick was awarded.

But you can’t keep the big man down for long, and Larin, gingerly back on his feet, duly pounced to score his second just after the hour mark.

Scienza, popping up on the right, crossed low for what looked certain to be James Ward-Prowse’s first goal since returning to the club, only for George Tanner to block his close-range effort and Larin to mop up the rebound, racking up goal number eight of his extraordinary start to the season, including seven in seven in the Championship.

Larin pounces to double Saints' lead on the hour

There was no time for Saints to get comfortable. City would rightly feel hard done by to be two down, but soon halved the deficit when Cardines’ scuffed shot through a crowded penalty area was directed on target by Tolaj, whose poacher’s instinct had the visitors believing again.

Eckert’s response was to introduce the fresh legs of Fellows in place of Scienza for the final 20 minutes, and Divin Mubama for Larin slightly later.

But Matsuki was to take the game away from the opposition once again, just as he did with an assist for Scienza on Tuesday night.

This time, with eight minutes left on the clock, he received a pass from Azaz just inside the penalty area, shifted the ball from his right foot to his left and buried a low drive across the keeper to find the bottom corner.

With two assists to his name already, Azaz added a goal to his name after some nice work from Mubama.

Delaying the pass until just the right moment, the substitute picked out Azaz to his left and watched on as the midfielder did the rest, confidently tucking home Saints’ fourth.

The result was perhaps a shade harsh on the visitors, but underlined the promotion credentials of this Saints side, whose Championship home record now stands at played four, won four, scored 15, conceded four.

Southampton: Peretz, Bree, Wood, Schlotterbeck, Manning (Welington 88), Downes (c) (Bragg 46), Ward-Prowse, Matsuki, Azaz (Dobbin 88), Scienza (Fellows 70), Larin (Mubama 77).

Subs not used: Long, Stephens, Abbott, Edozie.

Goals: Larin (38’, 61’), Matsuki (82’), Azaz (85’).

Bristol City: Tickle, Tanner (Horvat 77), Dickie, Eissat, Cardines (Pring 77), Hirakawa (Wallace 58), Knight (c), Williams, Twine, Tolaj (Adebayo 83), Ballard (Greenwood 58).

Subs not used: Collins, Randell, Yah, Eile.

Goals: Tolaj (66’).

Booked: Eissat, Greenwood.

Attendance: 30,132.

Referee: Sam Allison.