SAINTS TO SLAUGHTER
AYOZE PEREZ and Jamie Vardy bagged hat-tricks as Leicester equalled the Premier League goalscoring record against 10-man Southampton at St Mary’s.
Brendan Rodgers’ Foxes rattled in five first-half goals and leapfrogged Manchester City, for the time being, into second place in the table.
The Premier League had decreed this weekend would see the introduction of yellow winter footballs long before they saw the weather forecast but this was the perfect night for it.
Saints’ fans could have left after 12 minutes because the game was over by then with the home side already a goal and a man down.
On a treacherous pitch, a lapse of control by Ryan Bertrand and his subsequent over-eager attempt to win it back off Perez might have previously attracted a stern warning from referee Andre Marriner and a yellow card. Common sense is a human trait, though. Once technology got involved that was it – VAR showed the studs were high and although there was no real malicious intent, it had to be red.
Marriner had initially allowed play to continue and Ben Chilwell’s shot was deflected more accurately towards goal by Harvey Barnes. Though Angus Gunn saved well, the left-back fired home the rebound.
Youri Tielemans made it 2-0 in the 17th minute when he had far too much time in the Southampton