Long’s double a timely reminder for boss O’neill

SHANE LONG struck his first Premier League goal for Southampton and then added his second to maintain their brilliant start to the season.

Not only are Ronald Koeman’s side second in the table, just four points behind Chelsea, but they again extended the best defensive record in the top four.

The stakes have been raised at St Mary’s. That much was clear as groans became louder and more guttural as the home side dominated Leicester but failed to find a breakthrough for more than an hour.

It required substitute Long to break the deadlock with his debut league goals for the club. The Ireland striker came off the bench after 68 largely uninspiring minutes and nabbed his first seven minutes later, before sealing all three points on 80 minutes.

‘We had to be patient,’ Koeman said. ‘It was difficult against a team with good organisation and we lacked attention in the box and a final pass in the first half. But I said at half time, “Keep pressing and we will create, for sure we will score one or two times”.’

He was full of praise for Long, who had been dropped to make way for Sadio Mane after starting last week’s vic- tory at his old club Hull. ‘It was great coming in from Shane, he made all the difference. Sometimes Shane is not happy [because he does not start], sometimes Sadio is not, but I like that in a player. Shane was brilliant today.’

Long made the breakthrough shortly after his introduction. Fellow substitute Jack Cork played in an arcing cross which was controlled by Graziano Pelle, who set up Long to expertly curl past Kasper Schmeichel into the far corner.

Four minutes later the £12million signing, who has had a frustrating start to professional life on the south coast, added a second, finishing supremely after going one-on-one with Schmeichel.

Koeman looked drenched but delighted at the final whistle, flinging off the red blanket he had draped over his knees in an attempt to keep warm. It appears he might be building something truly special.

For now, Long will be pleased to give international boss Martin O’Neill a reminder of his class ahead of the Euro 2016 qualifier with Scotland on Friday.