Southampton’s woes continued as they suffered a 3-2 defeat against Leicester City, squandering a two-goal lead in a match that deepens the pressure on manager Russell Martin. Jordan Ayew’s dramatic stoppage-time winner completed Leicester’s remarkable comeback at St Mary’s, leaving the Saints without a Premier League win in 21 matches.
Leicester, down 2-0 after first-half goals from Cameron Archer and Joe Aribo, turned the game on its head in the second half. Substitute Ayew sealed the comeback in the eighth minute of added time, firing home Harry Winks’ low corner delivery to spark celebrations among the visiting fans.
Southampton started brightly, with Joe Aribo hitting the crossbar in the fifth minute before Archer put them ahead. The goal came from a quickly taken free-kick by Flynn Downes, with Kyle Walker-Peters advancing to set up Ryan Manning, who provided the assist for Archer’s finish. Aribo then doubled Southampton’s lead, meeting Walker-Peters’ cross to score his first goal of the season.
The Saints looked poised for their first win of the campaign, but Leicester’s second-half surge changed everything. Abdul Fatawu, introduced as a substitute, made an immediate impact, delivering a cross for Facundo Buonanotte to halve the deficit in the 64th minute. Fatawu continued to trouble the Southampton defense, hitting the bar and forcing a brilliant save from Aaron Ramsdale.
Leicester’s equalizer came after a pivotal moment involving VAR. As Jamie Vardy went for a rebound, Fraser was penalized for grabbing his shirt, resulting in a red card and a penalty. Vardy converted from the spot to make it 2-2, bringing his tally against Southampton to 13 goal involvements, including seven goals at St Mary’s.
With Southampton down to 10 men, Leicester sensed an opportunity. As the match entered the eighth minute of added time, Winks found Ayew unmarked on the edge of the box, and the forward’s precise strike into the bottom corner sealed the comeback.
The final whistle brought boos from the home crowd, leaving Southampton’s players dejected on the pitch. Russell Martin now faces increased scrutiny as his side’s winless run continues, with their last Premier League victory ironically coming against Leicester. Despite their promising start, the second-half collapse highlighted the challenges facing the Saints in their battle to turn their season around.
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