Southampton's Champions League push comes unstuck at Stoke

Southampton’s European aspirations were dealt a blow as Stoke came from behind to win 2-1 at the Britannia Stadium.

Despite Morgan Schneiderlin’s opener, Mame Biram Diouf levelled shortly after half time and Charlie Adam completed the turn-around with less than 10 minutes to go.

It damages the Saints’ faint hopes of snatching the fourth Champions League spot from a flailing Manchester City, who now are ahead by five points with a game in hand.

Europa League football is still tangible, though. with the number of spots still to be decided by this weekend’s FA Cup action.

Stoke, despite having little to play for, took a step towards securing a top-half finish and, with 46 points now on the board, moved closer to their record Premier League tally of 50.

Southampton were the livelier side throughout were ahead just after 20 minutes when Jose Fonte met a corner at the near post and flicked it on towards the back post, where Schneiderlin was on hand to tap into the empty net. The ball looked like it might have been going in off the post but that was a risk Schneiderlin was unwilling to take, even if it meant denying his teammate a first goal of the season.

Stoke might have been level going into the break, but for an awful miss from Steven N’Zonzi, who was unmarked six yards out but got his feet in a mess and failed to connect with a headed flick-on.

But two minutes after the restart they were level and it came about after a bizarre error from Saints goalkeeper Kelvin Davies, who misjudged the flight of an N’Zonzi cross. He thought it was sailing safely over the bar but came back off the woodwork and into the box, where Diouf reacted first with a confident volley.

Southampton applied the pressure as the game entered its closing stages but they were stung with just over five minutes to go, when Marko Arnautovic swung the ball into the box. It bobbled around dangerously before Adam was able to take a touch and thrash it home on the bounce.

There was a lengthy portion of added time as Toby Alderweireld required extensive treatment after landing awkwardly on his shoulder, but Southampton were unable to rescue a point.  

17’ - Chance for Southampton! Mane slips the ball through for Pelle, who runs onto it and strikes it early but into the side netting. The away fans think it's in and their realisation is greeted gleefully by the home contingent.

22’ - GOAL! Southampton take the lead! The corner comes across, Fonte flicks it on at the near post, and Schneiderlin wanders in to tap it home at the back post.

36’ - Chance for Southampton! Mane holds the ball up in the middle of the park and sees Clyne absolutely bombing forward down the right. What an engine. He slips it into his path, Clyne takes a touch, shoots, but blazes it over the bar.

42’ - What a miss! A Stoke free-kick is chipped into the box and flicked on into the path of N'Zonzi who, unmarked, just has to knock it home from six yards. But he gets his feet in a mess, fails to connect properly, and hangs his head in shame.

47’ - GOAL! Stoke are level! N'Zonzi looks to chip it into the box but gets it all wrong, and the ball loops onto the crossbar. It fools Davis, who thinks it’s going over. But it’s not, it’s coming back out into the box, where Diouf is on hand to smash it into the net.

63’ - OFF THE LINE! Southampton almost restore their lead! Mane runs onto the ball down the right and Begovic rushes out into no-man's land. The ball is played into Tadic in the box but Whelan has got himself back onto the line to thrash clear as the shot comes in.

84’ - GOAL! Stoke have turned it around! Arnautovic swings it into the box, the ball bumbles around before Charlie Adam takes a touch and thrashes it home on the bounce. Stoke lead 2-1, remarkable stuff!

Stoke end a run of four games without a victory - their longest run without a win in the Premier League this season.

Stoke are now the only club yet to receive a red card in the top flight this season. They have never gone a full Premier League campaign without having a player sent off.

Southampton are without a victory in their last four away matches in the league. Prior to that run, they had won four in a row.

Saints are the only club yet to concede a penalty this Premier League season.

Saints marching on to Europe? This will no doubt go down as an opportunity missed for Southampton. They might have drawn to within two points of City – and who knows when the champions’ decline will stop? As it is, City will have an eight-point cushion in that fourth Champions League spot if they win their game in hand. Still, the Europa League dream is very much alive and kicking. Next up is Spurs, which could be a juicy one, though we all know how they feel about the competition.

Sadio Mane (Southampton). On the balance of it, Southampton were the better side going forward and that was largely due to the pace and movement of Mane. Unlike Graziano Pelle, who likes to receive the ball as more of a target man, Mane constantly dragged defenders out of position and caused problems for Stoke.

Stoke: Begovic 6, Cameron 6, Shawcross 5, Wollscheid 6, Pieters 6, Nzonzi 4, Whelan 6; Walters 6, Ireland 5, Arnautovic 6, Diouf 7… Subs: Adam 6, Sidwell 6, Crouch 6.

Southampton: K Davis 4, Clyne 7, Fonte 7, Alderweireld 6, Yoshida 6, Bertrand 6, Schneiderlin 7, S Davis 6, Tadic 7, Mane 8, Pelle 7… Subs: Long 6, Ward-Prowse 6, Elia 4.