Southampton v AFC Bournemouth Live Commentary & Result, 27/04/2023, Premier League

Pos	Team	P	W	D	L	F	A	+/-	PTS	Form
1	MCI Manchester City	38	28	5	5	94	33	+61	89	L D W W W
2	ARS Arsenal	38	26	6	6	88	43	+45	84	W L L W W
3	MUN Manchester United	38	23	6	9	58	43	+15	75	W W W W L
4	NEW Newcastle United	38	19	14	5	68	33	+35	71	D D W D L
5	LIV Liverpool	38	19	10	9	75	47	+28	67	D D W W W
6	BHA Brighton & Hove Albion	38	18	8	12	72	53	+19	62	L D W L W
7	AVL Aston Villa	38	18	7	13	51	46	+5	61	W D W L L
8	TOT Tottenham Hotspur	38	18	6	14	70	63	+7	60	W L L W L
9	BRE Brentford	38	15	14	9	58	46	+12	59	W W W L W
10	FUL Fulham	38	15	7	16	55	53	+2	52	L D W W L
11	CRY Crystal Palace	38	11	12	15	40	49	-9	45	D D W L W
12	CHE Chelsea	38	11	11	16	38	47	-9	44	D L L D W
13	WOL Wolverhampton Wanderers	38	11	8	19	31	58	-27	41	L D L W L
14	WHU West Ham United	38	11	7	20	42	55	-13	40	L W L W L
15	BOU AFC Bournemouth	38	11	6	21	37	71	-34	39	L L L L W
16	NFO Nottingham Forest	38	9	11	18	38	68	-30	38	D W D W L
17	EVE Everton	38	8	12	18	34	57	-23	36	W D L W D
18	LEI Leicester City	38	9	7	22	51	68	-17	34	W D L L D
19	LEE Leeds United	38	7	10	21	48	78	-30	31	L L D L L
20	SOU Southampton	38	6	7	25	36	73	-37	25	D L L L L

That is all for today - thanks for tuning in!

Southampton face a difficult task away against Newcastle next in the Premier League on Sunday while Bournemouth welcome Leeds to the Vitality Stadium in another crucial relegation clash.

A late disallowed goal means Southampton fall to a 1-0 home defeat against Bournemouth with relegation looking increasingly likely for Ruben Selles' side. After a drab first half, it was Bournemouth who seized the initiative in the second period when Tavernier's jinking run and shot squirmed into the far post. Southampton were poor in response for large periods of the second half but thought they had grabbed a point in the 89th minute when Adams fired home off the bench. The goal was ruled out for offside after a VAR check, however, and Bournemouth escaped with a vital win. They move up to 14th and are now seven points clear of the drop while Saints remain bottom and six points off safety.

90' + 6' FULL-TIME: SOUTHAMPTON 0-1 BOURNEMOUTH

90' + 5' The cross comes in but Bournemouth can clear and that is that.

90' + 5' Walker-Peters makes a late burst into the box but it's a great recovery tackle from Kelly to concede a late corner and a final chance for Southampton.

K. Moore

D. Solanke

90' + 3' Solanke had a good game up front for Bournemouth but he is now replaced by Moore.

D. Ouattara

P. Billing

90' + 3' Bournemouth make a double change looking to see this game out. Billing is first off as he makes way for Ouattara.

90' + 1' Five minutes of extra time for Saints to find an equaliser.

90' DISALLOWED!! Late drama as Saints have a dramatic equaliser ruled out! Stuart Armstrong beats two as he jinxes inside the box. Adams controls it with his first touch before slamming the ball home off the bar but it's ruled offside after a VAR check.

87' Neto has been nervy coming to claim crosses and he shows it again. Saints can't capitalise though and Bournemouth are able to clear.

M. Viña

Yellow Card

86' Vina now receives a yellow card for a clumsy challenge on Lavia.

84' Lyanco whips in an enticing cross but Mepham clears it away before Walker-Peters fires over with a wayward curling effort.

81' Neto almost makes a hash of clearing a ball over the top as he rushes off his line but the Bournemouth goalie is saved by the offside flag.

A. Smith

M. Tavernier

78' Bournemouth's goalscorer Tavernier goes down with an injury and has to make way. Smith comes on to replace him.

J. Lerma

Yellow Card

77' Lerma is the second Bournemouth player into the book after a foul on Adams.

K. Sulemana

A. Armstrong

76' Adam Armstrong comes off for Sulemana as Saints continue to chase an equaliser.

73' Stuart Armstrong delivers the free-kick from the right but the Bournemouth defence does well to clear the ball away.

71' Rothwell bursts forward but it's a comfortable save for McCarthy after the midfielder lets fly from the edge of the box.

I. Zabarnyi

M. Senesi

68' Bournemouth make their first change of the night as Senesi comes off for Zabarnyi.

66' Some better combination between the Saints attacking players gives Stuart Armstrong the opportunity to cross from the right byline. Adam Armstrong is the player who meets the cross but it's just too high for him and Neto claims the header with ease.

M. Senesi

Yellow Card

65' Senesi pulls back Adam Armstrong and receives the first yellow card of the evening.

63' Some much-need impetus with those changes by Saints. Stuart Armstrong's close is cleared away and Caleta-Car smashes his effort well over the bar from outside the box.

S. Armstrong

M. Elyounoussi

61' Elyounoussi is the other player to make way and Stuart Armstrong replaces him.

C. Adams

T. Walcott

61' Southampton turn to their bench again with a double change. Walcott is the first to make way with the returning Adams replacing him up front.

59' There is a flurry of appeals from the Bournemouth players as the ball appears to hit the trailing hand of Bednarek. The referee waves away the protests before Saints defend the resulting corner.

56' Christie makes a positive burst down the right which is blocked. Play is recycled and Billing's eventual effort is deflected over the bar for a corner.

55' It's been a tame start to this second half from Saints and they desperately need a response now. This is a must-win game and they're comfortably second-best so far in this encounter.

53' Bournemouth attack again but can't find a clear shooting opportunity after numerous attempts and Saints can clear.

D. Solanke

Assist

50' It was Solanke who played the pass into Tavernier and he made no mistake with his finish into the bottom-right corner.

M. Tavernier

Goal

50' GOOOOAAAAALLLL!!! BOURNEMOUTH LEAD!! 1-0! They may have three in central defence now but Saints concede the first goal of the game and it's a massive goal from Tavernier. He's set free down the right and continues to jinx back inside onto this favoured left foot. It's a relatively tame effort but it takes a small deflection and squirms into the far corner.

48' Lyanco has moved into the defence which now looks like a back three and Armstrong, in turn, begins to take up a more central position alongside Walcott in attack.

46' Southampton get this second half underway.

Lyanco

J. Ward-Prowse

46' A half-time change sees Ward-Prowse make way for Lyanco. It's unclear if that is injury-related but that certainly is surprising if not.

Bournemouth have the advantage in terms of points on the board and so you suspect they will be the happier of the two teams as things stand. For Southampton, this may represent the easiest of their remaining games this season and Selles must surely be demanding a massive second-half performance from his side if they are to keep alive ambitions of a dramatic escape from the bottom three.

A rather tepid end to the first half at Saint Mary's and it remains goalless between Southampton and Bournemouth at the break. It was a fast start from both sides as Armstrong struck the post from a tight angle before the away side saw Vina's goal ruled out by VAR after Solanke was caught in an offside position. Since then both sides have huffed and puffed but rarely threatened the keepers. A spattering of boos break out as the whistle goes and the home fans know their side will need to be better to get a much-needed goal in the second half.

45' + 3' HALF-TIME: SOUTHAMPTON 0-0 BOURNEMOUTH

45' + 1' There will be three minutes of added time to end this first half.

45' Half-hearted appeals ring out from a few Bournemouth players as the ball bounces off Maitland-Niles' chest and flicks his arms. There is a brief VAR check but no penalty is given.

42' The game has slowed down significantly as we approach the break. You suspect both sides would be happy to end the half level.

40' Alvarez drives forward from deep as Saints look to spring an attack but it's a poor final ball looking for Armstrong and Bournemouth can clear.

A. Maitland-Niles

R. Perraud

36' Perraud isn't able to continue after going down moments ago and he is replaced by Maitland-Niles.

34' Perraud goes down off the ball and Tavernier can capitalise with space to run into. His cross, though, is deflected behind by Caleta-Car for a corner and there will be a pause in play as the Saints full-back receives treatment.

30' Bournemouth recycle the ball from a corner but Christie's eventual cross is wayward and flies out for a goal kick.

29' It's undoubtedly been an open game with both sides looking to carve out chances but there's been just one shot on target out of 11 in total so far.

25' Solanke has been a constant threat for Bournemouth so far this half but the striker fires over with his latest attempt after a mazy run through the Saints defence.

22' Chances at both ends but the best falls to Bournemouth on the edge of the box but the onrushing Billing blazes over the bar as the rain continues to pour down on the south coast of England.

18' DISALLOWED!! A big let off for Southampton as Vina has the ball in the net for Bournemouth. Solanke nips in behind but sees his effort saved by McCarthy. Vina slams in the rebound but the offside flag goes up on Solanke and the goal is chalked off after a VAR check.

17' Having won two of their first three Premier League games under Ruben Selles (L1), Southampton are now winless in seven (D3 L4). They kept a clean sheet in three of their first four under the Spaniard, but have since conceded in each of the last six (15 goals in total).

13' POST! Another chance falls to Saints as Armstrong plays a clever reverse pass to Perraud down the left. The full-back can't get his effort away but the ball eventually falls back to Armstrong whose effort strikes the post from a tight angle. Walcott blazes over the bar from the resulting corner.

12' The Bournemouth midfielder is up on his feet and still holding his right hamstring but it looks as if he will try to continue.

11' An early stoppage in play as Christie goes down and begins to receive treatment.

8' The first corner of the game goes to the home side but Bournemouth are able to clear and they can break with speed. Tavernier tries to cut in onto his left foot but the Saints defence recover and Ward-Prowse is able to make the vital block.

6' A nervy first involvement from the Saints keeper McCarthy as he slips on the ball inside his own box. Solanke tries to close him down but McCarthy is able to recover and wins a goal kick.

4' Walker-Peters gets into an advanced position down the right but Senesi is able to get the crucial block in as the cross comes in.

3' SAVE! A bright start from the home side as Elyounoussi finds a pocket of space. He plays in Walcott who makes a good run inside the Bournemouth left side but his eventual shot is saved well down low by Neto.

1' Bournemouth get this first half underway.

Following their 1-0 win at the Vitality Stadium in October, Southampton are looking to complete their first league double over Bournemouth since 2010-11, when the sides competed in League One.

Bournemouth also make two changes after their 4-0 defeat against West Ham. Jack Stephens is unable to start against his parent club and is replaced by Senesi. Vina also comes in at left wing-back with Adam Smith dropping to the bench.

Southampton makes two changes from their 3-3 draw with Arsenal. Caleta-Car replaces Armel Bella-Kotchap who misses out entirely while McCarthy replaces Bazunu in goal for his first start in 11 months. Adams and Maitland-Niles return to the bench.

BOURNEMOUTH SUBS: Mark Travers, Dango Ouattara, Antoine Semenyo, Illia Zabarnyi, Lewis Cook, Kieffer Moore, Adam Smith, David Brooks, Jaidon Anthony.

BOURNEMOUTH (3-4-2-1): Neto, Marcos Senesi, Chris Mepham, Lloyd Kelly; Matias Vina, Joe Rothwell, Jefferson Lerma, Marcus Tavernier; Ryan Christie, Philip Billing, Dominic Solanke.

SOUTHAMPTON SUBS: Gavin Bazunu, Sekou Mara, Stuart Armstrong, Kamaldeen Sulemana, Ainsley Maitland-Niles, Joe Aribo, Che Adams, Lyanco, Moussa Djenepo.

SOUTHAMPTON (4-4-2): Alex McCarthy; Kyle Walker-Peters, Jan Bednarek, Duje Caleta-Car, Romain Perraud; Mohamed Elyounoussi, James Ward-Prowse, Romeo Lavia, Adam Armstrong; Theo Walcott, Carlos Alcaraz.

Bournemouth, meanwhile, still remain in the thick of the relegation scrap after Tuesday's results. Gary O'Neil's side fell to an emphatic 4-0 defeat against West Ham but had picked up vital wins against Tottenham and Leicester in the two games prior. They currently sit in 15th with four points separating them and the drop and a win today would do wonders for their chances of remaining in the Premier League next season.

For Southampton, games are running out to retain their Premier League status as they sit bottom of the league and six points off safety. Having led 3-1 against Arsenal last Friday, the Saints conceded two late and only drew 3-3. It may still represent a good point given the opposition but it leaves Ruben Selles' side without a win in their last seven games. A win here feels almost obligatory if they are to begin mounting an unlikely survival bid.

Hello everyone and welcome to this live commentary for the Premier League game between Southampton and Bournemouth from St. Mary's Stadium.

Southampton v AFC Bournemouth Live Commentary, 27/04/2023

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