Brighton provisionally move to sixth with 3-1 win at Southampton
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Brighton provisionally move to sixth with 3-1 win at Southampton
SOUTHAMPTON (Reuters) - Brighton & Hove Albion provisionally climbed to sixth in the Premier League standings after they won 3-1 away to Southampton in a riveting Boxing Day clash.
A header from Adam Lallana and a stunning long-range strike by Solly March along with Romain Perraud s own goal helped Brighton take their points tally to 24 - two more than seventh-placed Liverpool who play at Aston Villa later.
Brighton went ahead in the 15th minute when Lallana scored against his former club after he connected with March s cross and sent his header into the net as goalkeeper Gavin Bazunu scuffed an easy save.
Southampton skipper James Ward-Prowse came within a whisker of equalising when his curling free-kick in the 25th minute flew slightly wide of the post.
But Brighton went 2-0 ahead in the 35th minute after defender Perraud turned the ball into his own net while trying to clear a cross from Pervis Estupinan.
In his first Premier League home game, Nathan Jones walked off at halftime to a chorus of boos as Southampton looked poor in all departments while their opponents dominated possession and were dangerous in attack.
Although Southampton made a good start in the second half with the introduction of Stuart Armstrong, it was March who made it 3-0 for Brighton in the 55th minute with a thumping shot into the top corner from 20 yards out after a brilliant solo move.
The visitors could have added a fourth when March, playing superbly on the right flank, clipped in a cross for Kaoru Mitoma but the Japan midfielder sent his header wide.
Southampton were awarded a penalty in the 73rd minute for Pascal Gross s foul on Samuel Edozie and although Ward-Prowse s spot-kick was stopped by keeper Robert Sanchez, the Southampton skipper nodded home on the rebound.
The goal proved to be a mere consolation for Southampton who failed to bounce back in the contest and suffered their fourth straight league defeat, slipping to the bottom of the table on 12 points after 16 games - two points adrift of the safety zone.
