SAINTS ALIVE
..BUT IT’S ALL OVER FOR THE BAGGIES
Swansea 0 Southampton 1
MANOLO GABBIADINI rescued Saints from relegation and left Swansea hanging by a thread.
The Italy striker pounced on a loose ball in the six-yard box for the winner, meaning only a huge goal diference swing could see them go down now.
It confirmed West Brom’s relegation – on the day Darren Moore was named Manager of the Month – and means Swansea must beat Stoke on Sunday and hope for other results to go their way if they are to beat the drop.
SUPERSUB Manolo Gabbiadini checked Southampton out of Heartbreak Hotel and left Carlos Carvalhal to pick up a huge bill for gloom service.
Gabbiadini’s winner at the Liberty Stadium will be worth more than 10 times his £14.6million transfer fee if it keeps Saints up.
And if Mark Hughes has had a more satisfying win as a manager, he was struggling to conceal his relish last night.
Gabbiadini’s goal, four minutes after his arrival from the bench, did not just relegate West Brom on the day their caretaker boss Darren Moore was named Manager of the Month.
It left Swansea needing to beat wooden spoonists Stoke on Sunday, and hoping Huddersfield do not pick up another point from their last two games.
From crestfallen Swans boss Carvalhal’s grim expression, he knows the game is up.
Hughes and his staff erupted in a triumphal wardance of celebration on the final whistle.
Only a monumental collapse against Manchester City can send them down now.
Hughes was deeply unimpressed when Saints pitched up on Sunday at the Marriott in Swansea, where they had booked 40 rooms, only to be turned away after being told the hotel had been hit by a virus – although it remained open for members of the public to check in.
“The Marriott at Swansea is one of the poorest hotels we have to stay at,” hissed Hughes. “It’s probably a blessing we didn’t stay there.” Then, after relocating to the Vale of Glamorgan, an hour’s drive away, Southampton’s rushhour police escort was cancelled at short notice.
And when their coach arrived at the Liberty 90 minutes before kick-off, Saints were asked to stay on board for 25 minutes while the Swansea bus was unloaded.
Hughes was having none of it, and marched his players through the front door.
This was a night when you feared he might spontaneously combust on the touchline.
There was no need for subtitles to interpret the hand gestures when Charlie Austin wasted a promising opening and then forced Swansea keeper Lukasz Fabianski into a low save.
But if Hughes was feeling the pressure, for the Swans it was also sink or swim. When Carvalhal took over in December, they were five points adrift of the dotted line and history was against them. In the Premier League era, only Bryan Robson, Gus Poyet, Nigel Pearson had led their teams to safety after being bottom on Christmas Day.
Carvalhal has an enviable repertoire in analogies, explaining how Swansea managed to suffocate free-scoring Liverpool thus: “If you put a Formula One car in London traffic, the F1 car will not run very fast.”
And in his search for the right balance in a side who had managed only 27 goals in 36 previous games, he said: “You can’t have an orchestra that is just 11 people playing piano or 11 playing the drums.”
But with the nerves jangling like a nightclub lothario’s bling, Carvalhal’s ensemble produced only a concerto of percussion for 45 minutes where a string quartet’s subtle tones were required.
Jordan Ayew’s dipping effort, tipped to safety by Alex McCarthy, within two minutes of the restart, was a statement of greater purpose.
But with a visit from the champions ahead on Sunday, a point was of little use to Saints – and on the hour, Austin missed a great chance.
Cedric Soares picked him out, unmarked and eight yards out, but Austin could only direct his header too close to Fabianski.
Yet after 72 minutes Hughes struck gold. Oriol Romeu headed down Dusan Tadic’s corner, and although Austin’s volley was blocked by Fabianski, Gabbiadini swept home the rebound.