Matchday Live

Match report: Saints off the bottom

Read our full report from this evening's victory over Leicester!

FULL TIME: Southampton 1-0 Leicester

It's a HUGE three points for Saints, thanks to Charly Alcaraz's first-half goal.

Yellow Card for James Ward-Prowse (Southampton)

The skipper is booked for bringing down James Maddison.

Five minutes of added time

🎶 Oh when the Saints go marching in 🎶

A huge chorus of "Oh when the Saints" rings around St Mary's as we enter the closing stages. The crowd is really willing the team on 💪

Mara misses the target from distance

Sékou Mara cuts in from the right and tries to bend a left-footed shot into the far top corner, but he gets well under it and it's comfortably off target.

Southampton substitution: Stuart Armstrong replaces Kamaldeen Sulemana

Yellow Card for Adam Armstrong (Southampton)

Armstrong cautioned for a foul on James Maddison.

Yellow Card for Ché Adams (Southampton)

Ché Adams picked up a booking on his way off.

Southampton substitution: Adam Armstrong replaces Theo Walcott

Southampton substitution: Sékou Mara replaces Ché Adams

Southampton substitution: Mohamed Elyounoussi replaces Carlos Alcaraz

Alcaraz, who appeared to injure his left knee during the celebration of his goal, cannot carry on any longer and is replaced by Moi Elyounoussi.

Ward-Prowse tries to catch out Ward

Saints get a free-kick not far outside the corner of the area, with James Ward-Prowse looking like he'll deliver an in-swinging cross, but instead he tries to catch out Danny Ward by whipping it towards the near corner. The Leicester keeper is alert to it, though, and gets across to save.

Second half gets under way

A big 45 minutes is up and running. Keep it up, Saints 👊

Alcaraz celebrates the opener 📸

Half time: Southampton 1-0 Leicester

Charly Alcaraz's goal has Saints in front as we reach half-time! More of the same after the break, lads 💪

VAR Decision: Goal awarded for Southampton [Ché Adams] was confirmed

There was a lengthy check to see if Ché Adams was offside when he received the ball. It was ever so close, but he was onside and the goal stands!

GOALSCORER 26 Carlos Alcaraz

ALCARAZ GETS THE GOAL!

It's been coming, both from Saints and Charly Alcaraz! He's played through from deep in the half by Ché Adams, races forward and dispatches a glorious right-footed shot into the far bottom corner from just outside the box.

Kamaldeen off target from 18 yards

Another decent opportunity crafted by Saints, this time as the ball is worked to Kamaldeen on the edge of the box, to the left of centre, but he drags his low shot wide of the far post.

Alcaraz header saved

Charly Alcaraz in the thick of things again, as he gets on the end of a James Ward-Prowse cross, but his header is too close to Danny Ward, who makes the save.

PENALTY TO SOUTHAMPTON!

A huge moment, as Saints are awarded a spot kick. Timothy Castagne is judged to have committed a handball as he slid to block Theo Walcott's cross!

Yellow Card for Carlos Alcaraz (Southampton)

Not a great tackle from Alcaraz on Timothy Castagne and he's shown the first yellow of the match.

Lavia ok to continue

Roméo Lavia is back on his feet and, after heading to the side of the pitch, is waved back on by referee Robert Jones.

Lavia down needing treatment

Play is stopped here as Roméo Lavia goes down needing some treatment.

Alcaraz threatens again

Charly Alcaraz again causing problems, this time driving into the area and striking a low shot that Harry Souttar blocks for a corner. Again, though, Leicester deal with the resulting set piece.

Our record Premier League appearance holder 🥇

James Ward-Prowse is today making his 330th Premier League appearance for the club 🤯

Chance for Walcott

Ainsley Maitland-Niles breaks away down the right and cuts the ball back into the path of Theo Walcott in a good position about 12 yards out, but his low shot hits the legs of Kamaldeen in front of him and spins back out of the area. More good stuff from Saints, though.

Saints on the front foot

A positive start, as Charly Alcaraz pushes forward and tries his luck from distance, with his shot being deflected behind for a corner. Unfortunately, the set-piece ultimately comes to nothing.

KICK-OFF: Southampton vs Leicester

We're under way at St Mary's! A big 90 minutes ahead.

Let's do this, Saints 👊

Warm-ups ✅

The warm-ups are finished, the teams are in the tunnel and we're only a few minutes away from kick-off now!

🔟 minutes to go...

Stay with us as we count down to kick-off, which is fast approaching!

It's Anders Svensson! 🇸🇪

The former midfielder is our special guest this afternoon at St Mary's!

Look who's back 👀

Ché Adams returns from injury to lead the Saints attack this afternoon, having scored twice in the reverse fixture at the King Power Stadium back in August.

Theo starts 🙌

Rubén Sellés has made four changes to his last Premier League line-up, as Kyle Walker-Peters, Carlos Alcaraz, Theo Walcott and Ché Adams are restored to the side.

Southampton team confirmed 😇

Starting XI: Bazunu, Maitland-Niles, Bella-Kotchap, Bednarek, Walker-Peters, Ward-Prowse, Lavia, Alcaraz, Walcott, Adams, Kamaldeen.

Subs: Caballero, Salisu, Perraud, S. Armstrong, Elyounoussi, Djenepo, Mara, Onuachu, A. Armstrong.

The players are in 📸

Our club photographer was on hand to capture the players arriving at St Mary's. Team news is now less than ten minutes away...

Talking tactics 🔢

Tactics writer Sam Tighe previews today's match-up, and a clash of the giants between Saints' Paul Onuachu and Leicester centre-back Harry Souttar. It's the latest edition of Tactical Watch.

Saints march on in Youth Cup

Southampton's youngsters progressed to the last four of the FA Youth Cup for the first time in 17 years this week, as goals from Kamari Doyle (2) and Dom Ballard set up a semi-final meeting with West Ham.

Get game-ready 📋

Check out our in-depth Match Pack for all the pre-game information, facts and stats ahead of kick-off...

it has been a period to reflect. i have the feeling that we are stronger now, because we take things seriously. when you have a defeat like that (against grimsby), you need to overanalyse sometimes. that was yesterday - now we are ready to go.

rubén sellés

southampton manager

Hear from the boss 🎙

Rubén Sellés spoke to the media at Staplewood in Friday's pre-match press conference. Check out part one here...

Back at it 👊

It's matchday at St Mary's, where Southampton are in need of Premier League points against Leicester City. After both sides suffered FA Cup setbacks in midweek, all eyes are on top-flight survival this afternoon. Can Saints secure the victory to take them within three points of the Foxes? Stay with us for all the build-up, team news, match updates and live commentary...