Gabbiadini scores brace as Southampton thrash sorry Sunderland

Manolo Gabbiadini fired Southampton to a rare away win at the Stadium of Light that keeps Sunderland rooted to the bottom of the Premier League table.

Coming off the back of a 4-0 win last weekend, Sunderland started brightly but faded and went behind after half an hour when Gabbiadini met Ryan Bertrand’s cross at the near post and diverted the ball into the net with his arm. It wasn’t deliberate and went unnoticed by the officials.

The Italian then doubled the Saints’ lead on the stroke of half-time in spectacular fashion. With his back to goal, ten yards out, he completely fooled Lamine Kone with a lovely turn before slotting over Vito Mannone from close range.

Despite substitutions from David Moyes, Sunderland continued to struggle and a Jason Denayer own goal plus one from Shane Long, both of which were far too easy for Saints to score, completed the misery.

A win would have taken the Black cats out of the drop zone but instead they remain bottom on 19 points, two off safety, while Southampton are now 11th with 30 points and can breathe easier ahead of the EFL Cup Final in two weeks.

Woeful Sunderland look doomed. After the emphatic win over Crystal Palace last weekend, Sunderland looked to be alive and kicking and this game against a team in terrible form was a great chance for more points. However, what followed – a poor result and an even worse performance in which they didn’t have a shot on target until the 66th minute – is highly demoralising and with Swansea and Hull both looking much-improved of late, few will be backing Sunderland to beat the drop now.

Manolo Gabbiadini (Southampton). It’s still early days, but what a signing he looks to be. Southampton have been crying out for someone to lead the line all season and Gabbiadini, with his intelligent movement and physical presence, fits the bill perfectly. His first goal was fortunate but to be fair he had made a great run across the near post while the second was brilliantly worked.

Sunderland: Mannone 6, Jones 6, Denayer 5, O’Shea 5, Kone 5, Oviedo 6, Ndong 6, Gibson 5, Larsson 5, Januzaj 5, Defoe 5. Subs: Pienarr 5, Borini 5, Khazri 2.

Southampton: Forster 6, Cedric 6, Stephens 7, Yoshida 6, Bertrand 7, Romeu 7, Davis 6, Ward-Prowse 6, Redmond 6, Tadic 8, Gabbiadini 8. Subs: Long 7, Hojbjerg 6.

19’ – CHANCE! Gibson plays a loose pass that ends up at Gabbiadini's feet inside the Sunderland box but he scuff his snapshot wide.

30’ – GOAL! Sunderland 0-1 Southampton (Gabbiadini). Bertrand makes the overlap down the left and crosses towards Gabbiadini at the near post and the ball ends up in the net via his arm..

45’ – GOAL! Sunderland 0-2 Southampton (Gabbiadini). Tadic finds Gabbiadini ten yards from goal and, with his back to goal, he turns Kone brilliantly before slotting past Mannone.

74’ – SAVE! Cedric crosses from deep for Long who forces Mannone to tip his header over.

88’ – GOAL! Sunderland 0-3 Southampton (Denayer o/g). Bertrand bursts past Khazri and into the Sunderland box before smashing a cross-cum-shot toward the far post and it ends up in the net thanks to Denayer's desperate attempt to clear.

90+2’ – GOAL! Sunderland 0-4 Southampton (Long). There's no pressure on Long as he exchanges a one-two with Ward-Prowse before side-footing into the bottom corner. Too easy.

Gabbiadini has scored in each of his last five club appearances and became only the second Southampton player to score in his first two Premier League games for the club.

This equals Southampton’s biggest away win in the top flight.

Sunderland have only won one of the last nine league meetings between these two.