Brighton vs Southampton: Key Saints in Monday’s Victory
Southampton came away victorious over Brighton on Monday Night Football and it was thanks to some inspired performances from key players.
In a come from behind win, Southampton showed its toughness to fight back and win a match when they were not at their sharpest.
The match for the Saints was won in the second half (obviously) but some players put in 90 minutes shifts that helped keep the Saints within striking distance for the win.
Let us take a look at the three key players from the match.
Oriol Romeu
The midfielder was absolutely superb on Monday and was a big reason the Saints won this match. He was doing it from making passes, to winning tackles, and dribbling past Brighton defenders trying to nick the ball off of him.
He made 44 passes, 5 of which were long balls, and had a key pass as well. Additionally, he won 11 duels, 2 successful dribbles, and 15 recoveries.
He has had a renaissance this season and is showing us he is still the player he used to be. He has been probably the most constant performer this season and someone Ralph knows he can put into that starting XI and get the most out of him each and every time.
Jannik Vestergaard
It is tough to put into words how much his performance last night was pivotal to the Saints winning that match. If he was not out there they may have been able to get a 1-1 draw but because of him they come away with all 3 points.
He had a towering header to level the match before halftime which shifted the momentum. He won an amazing 13 duels to go along with 5 clearances and 3 interceptions. Offensively, he scored the goal and made the pass that led to the penalty.
He also made some amazing runs forward with the ball and made some defenders look silly along the way. Vestergaard is a testament to hard work and should be seen as an example for the rest of the team to follow.
Brighton and Hove Albion vs Southampton: Saints Player Ratings. dark. Next
Danny Ings
The squad clearly missed Ings in the squad and leading the attack. His introduction into the match at halftime changed how they approached the match and allowed them to create more opportunities.
Even if he is not directly involved his presence alone is enough to help create space and chances for his teammates. All that said and we have not even mentioned him scoring the winning goal.
He dispatched the keeper and hit the side netting with a tremendous penalty and raised his arms almost to announce to the league that he is back. I expect him to start on Sunday and hopefully, he can bag a brace against a shaky Sheffield team.