History made at Southampton! By Simon Mack

Southampton 0 – 9 Leicester City

25^th October 2019 20:00

St Mary’s Stadium

The rain lashed down as the teams took to the field on a windswept and wet Friday night on the south coast. For the saints this was the least of their woes as a rampant Leicester City systematically destroyed them to go 2^nd in the table and ring the alarm, their top 4 status is here to stay.

Twenty two years ago Ipswich Town visited Old Trafford and were sent back to Suffolk with a flat tyre on their tractor having been stuffed 9-0 by Alex Ferguson’s men, and until tonight that was the only time 9 goals had been scored without reply in Premier League history. Tonight the record books were re written as the foxes matched that feat except on the road, and what a sensational performance it was.

As the pundits on TV lamented the woes of the saints it was almost an out of body experience as the goals went in over and over. Yes the saints spent all but 78 minutes of this match down to 10 men but it was the sublime play of this city side that took apart their hosts again, and again, and again in a ruthless, skilful, tactically sublime and dedicated fashion right to the final whistle, and Southampton just could not live with it.

Goal one 10’: Perez fouled mid-way into the saints half, ball runs to Ndidi, he comes forward plays to Chilwell on the left, neat one 2 with Barnes and Chilwell sweeps ball under hapless Gunn in saints goal 0-1 foxes

VAR looks at challenge on Perez whilst foxes celebrate taking the lead and Bertrand is sent off for an over the top tackle that saw his studs go hard into the shin of Perez.

Goal two 17’: Harvey Barnes works well down the left and plays a low ball into the box. Ball takes slight deflection straight into Youri Tielemans path just inside the box and the Belgian fires low and hard to double the score.

Goal three 19’: Ricardo plays the ball into the path of an onrushing Ayonze Perez. As he drives goal ward the Spaniard plays a neat one two with Tielemans and thrashes the ball into the net.

Goal four 39’: Ndidi on edge of saint’s box spots Chilwell left in space and plays the ball. Chilwell takes one look up and delivers a looping cross straight into the path of the on rushing Perez at the back post and he hammers it home.

Goal five 45’: Ndidi finds Chilwell on the left again. He plays a short pass in to Barnes but it hits a Southampton defender and falls straight into the path of Jamie Vardy who checks with the ball and fires it past Gunn for 0-5 at half time.

Goal six 57’: Ndidi plays the ball to Chilwell again who lays it off to Barnes. The wide man spots Perez’s central run and loops the ball over the defence into his path for the Spaniard’s hat trick.

Goal seven 58’: Maddison’s long ball finds Barnes wide left. He plays a cute ball into the path of the on rushing Chilwell and his pinpoint cross finds Jamie Vardy between the posts to nod it home.

Goal eight 85’: Foul just in front of the 18 yard box gives Maddison a picture perfect dead ball opportunity, and he doesn’t waist it as his sublime effort glides over the wall and into the top left corner.

Goal nine 94’: Long ball forward into Jamie Vardy’s path from Albrighton on as a sub for Barnes. Vardy bearing down on goal is scythed down, penalty given, up gets the Leicester lethal weapon to smash home is hat trick and make it 0-9.

Final whistle blows immediately….. foxes fans in dreamland.

If you are looking for a man of the match wow… what a tough one.

Ben Chilwell was absolutely instrumental in so much that was superb, as was Youri Tielemans and Wilfred Ndidi. There are 2 city hat tricks amongst the goals and Perez was very very good tonight.

This performance deserves all the plaudits it will earn, and every single Leicester City player deserves that in equal portion. Ricardo tireless in his driving down the right, Soyunchu committed to the last to maintain a clean sheet, Schmeichel secure when the saints did have a brief spell early in the 2^nd half. Then there was Harvey Barnes constant drive and invention along the left. If you were looking for a city performance that ticked every box this is a close as it gets. Invention, skill, drive, dedication, creativity, and that desire from start to finish that would have made Khun Vichai so so proud. This was the player’s ultimate tribute to ‘The Boss’ who would have adored his team’s performance in the blustery rain swept conditions.

Let’s raise a glass of whatever takes your fancy to the man who had the vision, passion and dream that Leicester City Football Club could be what it is today. For it is him we most have to thank for the pleasure night’s like tonight have brought to our club and our lives.

What a night and what a wonderful tribute to a special man.