Norwich 0-3 Southampton: Clinical Saints convincingly see off Canaries

Southampton saw off Norwich City by a convincing scoreline of 3-0 to restart their season in real style.

Whilst the game looked balanced after a goalless first-half, a clinical second period from Ralph Hasenhuttl’s side saw goals from Danny Ings, Stuart Armstrong and Nathan Redmond confirm a pleasing victory.

Saints started the game slowly and had to see off early Norwich pressure.

Talisman Danny Ings had to do some good defensive work in his own penalty area to block a close-range effort from Tom Trybull after a free-kick delivery fell nicely at the back post.

Ings was then back to doing what he should be doing for his team – being a threat at the other end. Looking for his 16th Premier League goal of the campaign, he headed one effort right at Tim Krul before seeing another shot blocked well after he had raced through the home defence.

Saints had started to swing the momentum back in their favour and created the best two chances of the game.

Firstly, a clever set-piece involving James Ward-Prowse and Stuart Armstrong saw the latter force a decent save from Tim Krul from the middle of the penalty area.

Ings went closest of anyone in the first period as he clipped the bar after being played in by Jack Stephens, who had made a surging run forward to break through the Norwich midfield.

Counter-attacks from Saints were proving dangerous, but they needed some end product in the second-half – and that is just what they got with two clinically-taken goals in quick succession.

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That man Danny Ings opened the scoring just four minutes after the break when he seized upon a loose ball across the box and bent home a wonderful strike into the far corner of the hosts’ net.

In almost the next attack, the visitors doubled their advantage. Stuart Armstrong was allowed too much space from a Norwich point of view, and he took his chance brilliantly well to fire a left-footed strike low inside the near post.

James Ward-Prowse then had an effort blocked on the line as Saints looked to put the game to bed and erase any doubt before Norwich had the ball in the net through Mario Vrancic, but they were denied a way back into the contest by the offside flag.

Daniel Farke’s side looked crestfallen from the minute they went two behind though and Saints rounded off a finishing clinic by adding their deserved third.

Former Norwich man Nathan Redmond also capped a lively individual display by jinking past a limp challenge on the edge of the area and slotting home across goal – a pleasing win signed, sealed and delivered.

With eight games now remaining and 37 points on the board, Saints look upwardly mobile – Norwich, unfortunately, look like they need a miracle.

Norwich City team: Tim Krul, Max Aarons, Ben Godfrey, Timm Klose, Jamal Lewis, Tom Trybull (Mario Vrancic 62), Kenny McLean, Emiliano Buendia (Ondrej Duda 80), Todd Cantwell (Onel Hernandez 62), Josip Drmic (Josh Martin 89), Teemu Pukki (Adam Idah 80)

Subs not used: Michael McGovern, Lukas Rupp, Moritz Leitner, Alex Tettey

Saints team: Alex McCarthy, Yan Valery (Kyle Walker-Peters 90), Jack Stephens, Jan Bednarek, Ryan Bertrand, Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg, James Ward-Prowse, Nathan Redmond (Sofiane Boufal 89), Stuart Armstrong (Will Smallbone 82), Danny Ings (Nathan Tella 88), Michael Obafemi (Che Adams 82)

Subs not used: Angus Gunn, Jannik Vestergaard, Kevin Danso, Oriol Romeu