It’s panto, not Santo for Saints
Southampton Wolves
WOLVES boss Nuno Espírito Santo changed his entire team but still knocked last season’s beaten finalists Southampton out of the Carabao Cup.
None of the starters from Saturday’s Championship defeat by Cardiff was even in the match-day squad.
But stand-in skipper Danny Batth and sub Donovan Wilson – with his first professional goal within two minutes of coming on – found the net to give the new Portuguese boss a fabulous win.
It was a first competitive defeat for new Saints boss Mauricio Pellegrino in his first cup game in England.
The Spaniard made six changes but, after scoring three against West Ham to end a six-game drought at St Mary’s, his problems up front returned.
It was a dismal performance from the Premier League side who started with a strong spine of Fraser Forster, Oriol Romeu, James Ward-Prowse and Charlie Austin. It was such a limp display that fed-up fans loudly booed at the final whistle.
Despite all their changes, Wolves enjoyed the stronger start and Nouha Dicko spurned a hat-trick of chances in only 90 seconds – the third when he failed to stab home a cross from Ivan Cavaleiro with the goal gaping.
Batth (above) broke the deadlock when he headed home Cavaleiro’s corner after 67 minutes.
Pellegrino responded by throwing on Nathan Redmond and Manolo Gabbiadini in a bid to get back into the game
But Wilson, who came on after 85 minutes, settled the tie when he clipped his shot over England keeper Forster after good work from fellow sub Michal Zyro.