Rain fell, winds swirled, and as the heavens opened over St Mary’s, Leicester blew Southampton away with a performance to make their Boss smile from above.
Sunday marks one year since the death of Vichai Srivaddhanaprabha and, for all the displays of remembrance this week, few will be as fitting as this 9-0 win by Brendan Rodgers’ side.
On Friday night the travelling Leicester fans wore commemorative scarves carrying the four word legacy of their late chairman: Making the impossible possible.
Jamie Vardy and Ayoze Perez both scored hat-tricks as Leicester secured an incredible 9-0 victory against Southampton
The Leicester players are jubilant after Perez scored their third goal during their impressive victory against Southampton
Perez scored his first goal, and Leicester’s third, with a well-struck effort in the 19th minute of the game at St Mary’s
This team, carved in the image of the man who led them to that unlikely title triumph, are making their supporters dream once more.
Here again they played with confidence and invention, goals from Ben Chilwell, Jamie Vardy, Youri Tielemans and two from Ayoze Perez ending the contest before half time. Perez secured his hat-trick shortly after the break before Vardy and James Maddison made this the biggest away win in Premier League history.
Vardy netted his second before the hour mark before securing his own hat-trick with an injury-time penalty. Shortly before, Maddison had made it eight with a brilliant free kick. He celebrated by pointing to the sky and looking up to the heavens. This was another special night.
Perez was on target again in the 39th minute after he was teed up by Ben Chilwell, with Leicester running riot in the first half
Leicester continued to dominate in the second half, with Perez finding the net again to complete his hat-trick
Southampton had to play the majority of the game with ten men after Ryan Bertrand was sent off in the 12th minute
Bertrand received the first VAR red card in Premier League history following a rash challenge on Ayoze Perez
For the third consecutive home game, meanwhile, Ralph Hasenhuttl’s side pressed the self-destruct button inside the first half. They lost Ryan Bertrand to an early red card and never looked like ending their rotten home run. For their manager, this looks set to be be the final straw.
But this night belonged to Leicester. They are now second and only 2/1 to make the top four. That doesn’t flatter them, either. Few teams in the country are playing with the fluidity and skill that did for Saints.
Before the game Rodgers spoke about the need to continue Vichai’s spirit. His legacy lives on through his son, Top, who brought in the manager in February. And under the Northern Irishman they are breaking new ground again.
Here they began brightly and it took only 10 minutes for the floodgates to open.
Chilwell drove forward and his cross was turned goalwards by Harvey Barnes. Gunn pushed the effort out, but only into the path of Chilwell, who had continued his run and slotted the ball home.
Ben Chilwell put Leicester in the lead in the tenth minute after Harvey Barnes’ effort was pushed out to him
Chilwell celebrates after scoring his first Premier League goal since his effort against Tottenham in May 2017
Youri Tielemans celebrates after he doubled Leicester’s advantage with a goal in the 17th minute of the game
Tielemans’ team-mates Vardy and Perez join him to celebrate his goal in Leicester’s game against Southampton
Tielemans’ goal put Leicester 2-0 up as the Foxes capitalised upon the early dismissal of Southampton’s Bertrand
Jamie Vardy is congratulated by Perez after adding further to Leicester’s lead with their fifth goal just before half time
VAR then added insult to injury. The tackle that hurt Perez, which came moments before the opener, was missed by most inside St Mary’s. But not by Mike Dean.
Bertrand had lost control of the ball and in stretching to win it back, caught Perez halfway up his leg. It was a horrible challenge, if not malicious and Andre Marriner had no choice but to show a straight red card.
Saints had barely gathered themselves when the game was taken away from them in the space of two minutes.
Again it was Chilwell and Barnes who combined for Leicester’s second. The left back drove 50 yards before feeding his winger, who picked out Tielemans inside the area. The Belgian had enough time to take a touch and fire home. Moments later scorer turned provider, sharing a one-two with Perez, who opened his Leicester account with a simple finish.
Boos rang out around three corners of St Mary’s. It was the fastest Leicester had raced into a 3-0 top-flight lead for more than 20 years. But worse was to come for Southampton.
Ten minutes before the break, Barnes almost made it four after more nice interplay with Chilwell, only for Gunn to prevent the ball crossing the line having let it squirm through his legs.
Not that it mattered much. Four minutes later Chilwell looped a cross towards the back post. Yan Valery chose to watch it go for a goal kick, unaware that Perez was closing in behind him. The forward fired high into the net to send streams of supporters home early. Even fewer lasted until the break.
Vardy inflicted more misery upon Southampton when he scored his seventh Premier League goal of the campaign
Southampton were left dejected after they endured a torrid first half that saw them concede five goals against Leicester
Vardy got his second goal of the game, and Leicester’s seventh, when he managed to score in the 58th minute
An excellent free-kick from James Maddison, scored in the 85th minute, added to the scoreline as Leicester won 8-0
Brendan Rodgers’ Leicester are, temporarily at least, up to second place in the Premier League following their emphatic win
Leicester supporters paid tribute to former chairman Vichai Srivaddhanaprabha one year on from his death
VAR then added insult to injury. The tackle that hurt Perez, which came moments before the opener, was missed by most inside St Mary’s. But not by Mike Dean.
Bertrand had lost control of the ball and in stretching to win it back, caught Perez halfway up his leg. It was a horrible challenge, if not malicious and Andre Marriner had no choice but to show a straight red card.
Saints had barely gathered themselves when the game was taken away from them in the space of two minutes.
Again it was Chilwell and Barnes who combined for Leicester’s second. The left back drove 50 yards before feeding his winger, who picked out Tielemans inside the area. The Belgian had enough time to take a touch and fire home. Moments later scorer turned provider, sharing a one-two with Perez, who opened his Leicester account with a simple finish.
Boos rang out around three corners of St Mary’s. It was the fastest Leicester had raced into a 3-0 top-flight lead for more than 20 years. But worse was to come for Southampton.
Ten minutes before the break, Barnes almost made it four after more nice interplay with Chilwell, only for Gunn to prevent the ball crossing the line having let it squirm through his legs.
Not that it mattered much. Four minutes later Chilwell looped a cross towards the back post. Yan Valery chose to watch it go for a goal kick, unaware that Perez was closing in behind him. The forward fired high into the net to send streams of supporters home early. Even fewer lasted until the break.
Leicester’s Harvey Barnes battles for possession with Southampton’s Maya Yoshida during the clash at St Mary’s
Perez attempts to win the ball for Leicester as he goes up against Southampton midfielder Oriol Romeu