Claude Puel had promised his Southampton players a mini festive three-day break – and they will be sure to enjoy it after beating their local rivals Bournemouth in only the 24th competitive meeting between the sides. Southampton found their goalscoring touch at just the right time, as Ryan Bertrand and a Jay Rodriguez double hoisted the Saints to seventh in the Premier League. Rodriguez’s second was a peach from outside the box, watched all the way by the Bournemouth manager, Eddie Howe, who coached the striker while at Burnley.
Nobody is quite sure what moniker to slap on this fixture but it is a south-coast derby to most. Only 28 miles separates Dean Court from St Mary’s and the Bournemouth chairman, Jeff Mostyn, described it as an “appetising lunch” against their neighbours in his programme notes. At full-time Southampton supporters left the ground singing “the south coast is ours”.
Puel said: “The players can now have a fantastic Christmas with their families and their friends. It was important to win and it’s important now to continue this good work. It was an important moment, an important game after just three days’ recovery.”
The Southampton manager made six changes from his side’s draw at Stoke City in midweek, with the captain, José Fonte, dropping to the bench. One change was enforced, with Oriol Romeu suspended. Shortly after the teams were released, Puel spent 10 minutes in discussion with Fonte on the pitch, perhaps reiterating his rotation policy that resulted in his captain playing no part in their short-lived Europa League campaign. “I think when I saw him [Fonte] after the game he was very happy for the team and for the club,” said Puel, with the smallest of smirks.
Bournemouth had started sprightly and raced into a lead inside six minutes while Southampton struggled to dirty their pristine white third kit, making a Premier League debut of its own. A short corner routine allowed Jack Wilshere, again playing in a deeper midfield role, to curl a cross to the back post, where Nathan Aké eluded his marker, Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg, and sent a diving header past Fraser Forster. Wilshere’s first assist since joining Bournemouth on a season-long loan from Arsenal could not have come at a better time.
It was not so long ago that Southampton aided Bournemouth, sending them players on loan and partaking in pre-season friendlies to ease their financial overheads. “Can we have our money back?” sang the visiting supporters. Bournemouth are no longer Southampton’s poor relations, however. Joshua King should have doubled Bournemouth’s lead but his shot was saved by the legs of Forster after the striker easily evaded the attentions of Maya Yoshida.
Southampton, unusually, looked suspect in defence. Going forward, they had cheer down the left flank where Bertrand, who twice enjoyed loan spells at Bournemouth, frequently found space behind Adam Smith and Simon Francis.
It was no surprise then when Southampton’s first meaningful attack, which resulted in their equaliser, was started and finished off by Bertrand. The Southampton left-back easily turned Smith before charging past Francis towards the byline and drilling his effort in off the post and past the former Southampton goalkeeper, Artur Boruc.
Southampton were upstaged by Bournemouth’s sanguine first-half display and Puel changed things at the break. Steven Davis, virtually ever-present for Southampton since joining the club in 2012, replaced Harrison Reed, who was exposed on his first league start of the season.
Davis was quick to make an impact, playing a neat one-two with Sofiane Boufal before crossing low for Rodriguez to tap in his first goal for four months. Boufal’s guile was eventually rewarded but Puel admitted the Moroccan club-record signing is still finding his way in England. Boufal walked into the away dressing room with an oversized scarf on arrival and was later booked for diving by the referee, Mark Clattenburg.
After taking the lead Southampton seized control while Bournemouth lost their rhythm and suddenly looked devoid of energy, too, persuading Howe to inject the pace of Jordon Ibe and Ryan Fraser, instrumental in Bournemouth’s win against Liverpool. Southampton had scored only 14 league goals before this meeting – as many as the bottom club, Hull City – but found their scoring touch here to secure victory and bragging rights.
Rodriguez sealed the three points after 85 minutes and, in the process, Southampton’s first away win in the league since September. Rodriguez struck a sweet shot beyond Boruc – typical of those before he ruptured an anterior cruciate ligament in 2014 – after the ball bounced kindly at the feet of the striker, who excelled under Howe’s guidance at Turf Moor before earning his move to Southampton.
“On a personal level I wish him every success for his future because when he got his injury I think he was on the verge of playing for England and having a really exciting time in his life,” Howe said. “We were looking to keep him quiet but I thought he had a good game and probably deserved the goals.”
