Southampton made light work of Queens Park Rangers with a professional and clinical performance at St Mary's tonight.
After taking an early lead with a curling long-range effort from Finn Azaz, the Saints kept the R's at arm's length before extending the lead just before half-time when Kuryu Matsuki headed in a Léo Scienza corner.
Matsuki's smart finish from a parried Scienza shot made it three shortly after half-time. The Brazilian capped a fine performance with a shot that squeezed in off the far post.
James Bree completed the rout with a fine shot from the edge of the area to make it 5-0 to the Saints.
It’s a result that lifts Southampton to seventh in the Championship, still four points adrift of the play-off places.
Goalkeeper and Defenders
Daniel Peretz (GK) - 7/10 - Southampton’s goalkeeper didn’t have an awful lot to do, but commanded his area well under high balls and made a routine save from Bale's powerful shot.
James Bree (RB) - 7/10 - Yet another decent game for Southampton’s right back, who had a relatively quiet night. Most of the Rangers' attacks came down their right side, whereas most of the Saints' forward momentum came through Scienza down the left. Bree capped a great night for the Saints when he won the ball 25 yards out and then curled a shot into the far corner with the outside of his right foot to make it 5-0.
Taylor Harwood-Bellis (CB) - 8/10 - An excellent performance at both ends of the pitch. Played a significant role as QPR pressed hard for an equaliser immediately after Southampton's opener. Hit the post with a header from a corner in the 38th minute.
Jack Stephens (CB) - 6/10 - A solid game from the Saints skipper, who is having a great run of form alongside Taylor Harwood-Bellis.
Ryan Manning (LB) - 6/10 - Struggled to contain Amadou Mbengue and Harvey Vale in the first half, and Southampton looked vulnerable down their left side. Better in the second half.
Midfielders
Flynn Downes (CM) - 7/10 - An excellent first half against the ball. Made crunching tackles and was in the right place at the right time defensively. Back to his best.
Caspar Jander (CM) - 7/10 - One of the stand-out players in the first half. Jander probed in possession and ghosted into the box a couple of times to get on the end of some half-chances.
Attackers
Kuryu Matsuki (RW) - 8/10 - Scored his first goal in the Championship with a free header from barely a yard out as the first period drew to a close. Matsuki didn't have to wait long to get his second of the night when he controlled his low shot well to drill the ball into the back of the net.
Finn Azaz (AM) - 7/10 - A brilliant goal from the Irish international put the Saints ahead inside the first ten minutes. Showed great awareness to slide Scienza in for Southampton's fourth goal on the hour.
Leo Scienza (LW) - 8/10 - Another classy performance from the Brazilian. His inswinging cross from a corner put the ball on a plate for Matsuki's first goal, and it was his parried shot that set Matsuki up for his second immediately after half-time. Scienza capped off a great night for himself and Southampton when he ran on to a through ball from Azaz and squeezed a shot in off the far post.
Cyle Larin (ST) - 7/10 - Battled hard to hold the ball up and kept both centre-backs busy throughout the match. An excellent all-round centre-forward performance.
Substitutes
Cameron Archer - 6/10
Ross Stewart - 6/10
Tom Fellows - 6/10
Sam Edozie - 6/10
Shea Charles - 6/10