RYAN CHRISTIE starred arsenic Bournemouth soared to 5th successful the Premier League array by pushing South Coast rivals Southampton a measurement person to relegation with a 3-1 triumph astatine St Mary’s.
Creative midfielder Christie conjured a good assistance for Dango Ouattara’s 14th-minute opener before swiftly firing location a superb second to assistance enactment the Cherries connected the cusp of the Champions League qualification spots.
Ryan Christie starred arsenic Bournemouth thumped Southampton 3-1Getty
ReutersSubstitute Marcus Tavernier sealed triumph 7 minutes from clip aft Kamaldeen Sulemana concisely created immoderate jeopardy by halving Saints’ deficit.
Defeat for bottommost nine Southampton was their 20th of a miserable top-flight run arsenic adjacent neighbours Bournemouth deservedly claimed section bragging rights and a archetypal league treble successful this fixture.
Ivan Juric’s beleaguered broadside beryllium 10 points from safety, having present played a crippled much than 17th-placed Wolves, portion Andoni Iraola’s Cherries are dreaming of a maiden European escapade aft climbing supra Chelsea, connected extremity difference, and Newcastle.
Saints were seeking to grounds consecutive top-flight wins for the archetypal clip since February 2022 pursuing a 2-1 occurrence astatine chap strugglers Ipswich earlier past weekend’s FA Cup exit astatine the hands of Championship nine Burnley.
But that ngo was rapidly derailed during a blistering commencement from Bournemouth.
Ouattara claimed the aboriginal breakthrough, uncovering abstraction betwixt Southampton centre-backs Jan Bednarek and Nathan Wood to glimpse location via the acold station with his enarthrosis pursuing Christie’s delightful transportation from the left.
Lively Scotland planetary Christie went from supplier to scorer by doubling the Cherries’ pb conscionable 2 minutes later.
Saints skipper Bednarek sloppily conceded possession heavy wrong his ain fractional with a mediocre clearance, which allowed Justin Kluivert to enactment the shot to Christie, who expertly whipped the shot into the bottommost near country from astir 25 yards.
With travelling fans revelling successful the juncture and the beingness sucked retired of the remainder of the stadium, the hosts struggled to muster a response.
Club grounds signing Sulemana, 1 of 3 players recalled pursuing the triumph astatine Portman Road, dragged harmlessly wide with Southampton’s sole effort of a one-sided opening play which ended with jeers from the stands.
Meanwhile, Saints goalkeeper Aaron Ramsdale was required to nutrient a coagulated halt from Ouattara to forestall his erstwhile nine stretching their advantage.
Bournemouth’s caller 11-game unbeaten league run, which brought 24 points from a imaginable 33, was halted by a 2-0 nonaccomplishment to leaders Liverpool a fortnight ago.
With specified a gulf successful people connected display, it seemed lone a substance of clip earlier the Cherries wrapped up a instrumentality to winning ways.
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GettyRamsdale produced a good fingertip prevention to contradict Antoine Semenyo astatine the extremity of a mazy tally and past clawed Christie’s header disconnected the enactment from the resultant corner.
The quality of 18-year-old midfielder Tyler Dibling from the seat concisely lifted the temper of location supporters earlier Saints temporarily shifted the momentum 18 minutes from clip with their archetypal meaningful effort.
As Bournemouth continued to beryllium back, Sulemana collected a walk from Paul Onuachu to drill his archetypal Premier League extremity since May 2023 into the bottommost close corner.
From a presumption of power, the Cherries’ stranglehold connected the contention abruptly looked precarious.
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PARamsdale was forced to forestall Kyle Walker-Peters heading into his ain nett earlier Iraola’s men yet enactment the effect beyond uncertainty to debar a nervy finale.
Semenyo raced wide of Southampton’s defence earlier teeing up Tavernier, who scored Bournemouth’s victor connected this crushed successful April 2023, to thump past Ramsdale, with much boos greeting the full-time whistle.
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