Brighton scorched to an easy win at relegation-threatened Southampton thanks to goals from Joao Pedro, Georginio Rutter, Kaoru Mitoma and Jack Hinshelwood.
The Seagulls dominated from the outset, with Pedro’s delicate chip over Aaron Ramsdale setting them on their way midway through the first half.
Saints rallied before the break, but the game was beyond the bottom-of-the-table hosts once Rutter finished from close range after 56 minutes.
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Japan international Mitoma scored his fifth goal in seven games before defender Hinshelwood put the finishing touch on Southampton’s 21st Premier League defeat of the season.
The margin of defeat would have been even wider for Southampton had Ramsdale not denied Carlos Baleba and Yankuba Minteh with some last-ditch saves in the closing minutes as Saints threatened to fall apart completely.
Southampton, led by Ivan Juric since late December, have won just twice in the league all season and look doomed with only 12 rounds of games remaining.
They are eight points adrift of Leicester City, who sit one place ahead of them in the relegation zone, and 13 points behind Wolves in the last safe position.
Brighton’s Fabian Hurzeler, in his first season in charge, will be targeting a renewed push for a place in Europe with his side sitting eighth on 40 points.
BBC