Southampton 3-1 Leeds: Adam Armstrong hits brace and Will Smallbone is also on the scoresheet as Russell Martin’s side secure victory

Russell Martin ended his losing run as Southampton manager with an crucial victory over a resurgent Leeds United at St Mary’s.

Ahead of kick-off, the former Swansea boss said beating Leeds would be “a huge day” for the club after he had come under pressure following a miserable run of four defeats, including heavy losses at Sunderland and at home to Leicester.

But two goals from Adam Armstrong and a first Saints league goal for Will Smallbone saw Martin arrest the slide despite a second half reply from Pascal Struijk.

Martin needed a decent start to get the supporters onside and he got it when Kyle Walker-Peters expertly picked out the run of Adam Armstrong and the former Blackburn man delicately chipped the ball past the prone Illan Meslier with barely two minutes on the clock.

The Leeds side contained plenty of threat and Georginio Rutter soon threated an equaliser as he cut inside and curled a 20-yard shot towards the top corner before Gavin Bazunu beat it to safety. 

Adam Armstrong scored a brace as Southampton secured a 3-1 win at home to Leeds

Armstrong is congratulated by his Southampton team-mates after opening the scoring

Will Smallbone also managed to get on the scoresheet as Southampton overcame Leeds

Southampton had shipped more goals than any other team in the Championship but they were looking more solid against Daniel Farke’s side.

Martin’s side scored a second just after half an hour when Kamaldeen Sulemana raced to the by-line and pulled the ball back to Will Smallbone who applied a first-time side-foot finish in off the far post.

Five minutes later, things got better still for the home side and their beleaguered manager Martin. Sulemana was again the creator, skipping in off the right and picking out Adam Armstrong at the far post who then teased his way past Sam Byram before scoring via touches off Meslier and Pascal Struijk.

MATCH FACTS 

Southampton (4-3-3): Bazunu 6; Walker-Peters 7, Harwood-Bellis 7, Bednarek 7, Manning 7; Smallbone 7 (Charles 69, 7), Downes 7, S Armstrong 7 (Bree 85, 6); A Armstrong 8 (Aribo 85, 6), Alcaraz 7 (Adams 69, 7), Sulemana 8 (Fraser 59, 6).

Subs: McCarthy (g), Holgate, Aribo, Bree, Mara, Edozie.

Leeds United: (4-2-3-1): Meslier 6; Shackleton 5, Struijk 6, Cooper 5, Byram 6; Ampadu 6, Kamara 6 (Gray 73, 6); James 6 (Bamford 81, 6), Piroe 5, Summerville 6 (Anthony 73, 6); Rutter 6.

Subs: Darlow (g), Ayling, Rodon, Poveda-Ocampo, Gelhardt, Gruev

Russell Martin – 8

Daniel Farke – 5

Referee: John Brooks – 5

Martin will have told his players to keep things tight after half time but Leeds found a lifeline just before the hour mark when Southampton failed to properly clear a corner and Struijk was able to bring the ball down and poke it beyond Bazunu.

A flurry of Leeds substitutions caused problems for Saints, particularly from corners, but they stood firm and Martin fights on.

Southampton manager Russell Martin was delighted following his team’s victory

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