Strand Larsen double sinks Saints as Wolves go nine clear of drop zone

Southampton suffered their 24th defeat of the Premier League season as Wolves walked away from St Mary’s with a 2-1 win thanks to Jorgen Strand Larsen’s double.

Wolves have now moved nine points clear of the bottom three, while the gap separating Southampton and top-flight safety stretches to 14 points.

Saints started the game well but their momentum was punctured when Strand Larsen latched onto Jean-Ricner Bellegarde’s cross to give Wolves the lead in the first half (19), and it was the same combination that linked up shortly after the restart to double the advantage (47).

While the first goal showcased the Norway forward’s aerial ability, the second highlighted his talents with his feet. After receiving Bellegarde’s pass, Strand Larsen shifted the ball onto his right foot and slotted his effort from outside the area into the bottom corner.

Half-time substitute Paul Onuachu pulled a goal back for Southampton with 15 minutes to go, having poked Tyler Dibling’s effort that had cannoned off the post home, but his side lacked the quality and drive to take anything more from the game, as has been the case all season.

A chasm now separates Juric’s men and Wolves in 17th, with their fate in the Premier League all but sealed after yet another disheartening display that was greeted by boos from the homecrowd throughout.

Juric: Something is always missing

Southampton boss Ivan Juric speaking to Sky Sports:

“I am disappointed because we had two big chances at the beginning of the match and conceded when they first arrived close to our goal. The second goal was almost the same.

“It is not enough. When you have a season like us, there a lot of things missing. Everything is missing. We all make mistakes. We have to be a team, it is a moment to be tough and work harder.

“Not to go down in a bad way.”

On the boos from the home crowd: “Nobody is happy, it is normal. It’s a tough and ugly moment.”

Relegation battle over?

Sky Sports’ Patrick Rowe:

Wolves move nine points clear of the drop, while Southampton stare down the barrel of a 14-point gap separating them and safety.

It feels as if the relegation battle is all but sealed. All three teams that came up from the Championship will be heading directly back down.

Wolves boss Vitor Pereira should be applauded for the job he has done to steer this team, who were down in 19th when Gary O’Neil was relieved of his duties, to safety – but part of this success is down to the lack of quality Southampton, Ipswich and Leicester have displayed.

The fight for survival might be over but the threat of beating Derby County’s tally of just 11 points in the 2007/08 campaign still looms large for this Saints side.

Two points seems like a big ask at this point in time.

Story of the match in stats

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