Southampton 0-0 West Ham United

Adrian was sent off for the first time in his career with just under 30 minutes remaining

• Adrian sent off with half an hour remaining

• West Ham secure first clean sheet in 18 league games

• Southampton drop to fourth

West Ham had goalkeeper Adrian sent off but frustrated Southampton by holding on for a goalless draw at St Mary's.

The keeper was red carded when he handled outside his box under pressure from Sadio Mane after a clumsy touch.

Mane was denied by a goal-line clearance earlier and Saints pushed for a winner but Maya Yoshida headed over as the Hammers defended bravely.

West Ham's point came despite an injury to substitute Andy Carroll who was hobbling badly in the closing stages.

The Hammers' first clean sheet in 18 away games means Southampton dropped to fourth, a point ahead of Arsenal.

Few Saints' fans could have dreamed their side would be pushing for a top-four finish when players such as Adam Lallana, Luke Shaw and Dejan Lovren left in the summer but this latest result will feel like a missed opportunity.

Ronald Koeman's side failed to create clear-cut chances before Adrian was dismissed but they dominated the remaining 30 minutes without adding the end product to their approach work.

Striker Graziano Pelle, now without a goal in eight league games, glanced a header wide in added time and in a frantic finish Dusan Tadic was denied by a Jussi Jaaskelainen save.

Adrian lost control of the ball under pressure from Sadio Mane and handled outside the area, leading to his red card

West Ham played the closing stages with Carroll limping, effectively reducing them to nine capable players but their determined display leaves them eighth, eight points behind their hosts.

Their manager Sam Allardyce this week told reporters "no coach was more sophisticated" than him in the Premier League and he had to make late adjustments to his side, admitting before kick off his staff "haven't had any real practice with those available" since Sunday's draw with Manchester United.

Despite being without the injured Kevin Nolan and unwell Mark Noble in midfield, they were still organised throughout.

Aside from Mane's run and shot which prompted a Carl Jenkinson clearance in the first half, Adrian was relatively untroubled until the hour mark, where the first sending off of his career arrived.

It was a clear dismissal as his decision to try to wrong-foot Mane backfired, prompting panic which ended with the Spaniard falling on the ball and striking it with his hand.

The home side sensed a seventh win in nine league games and introduced January signing Filip Djuricic for his debut but neither he nor fellow substitute Tadic could break the resistance.

Southampton attacked in waves and Aaron Cresswell's brave block prevented Nathaniel Clyne's powerful volley, before Yoshida headed over when well placed.

Koeman's side have now failed to win at home in five of their last seven league games but have only dropped out of the top four for two weeks since September.

Southampton manager Ronald Koeman: "If you play 30 minutes 11 against 10 then you have to score the goal but we didn't. Everybody was running and we didn't make the pitch wide to make the space. Too many crosses and I think that is the easy way for them to defend.

"I said at half-time if we kept the organisation the front players have to win the game tonight but they didn't. You have to react and work harder and be sharp in the box."

West Ham manager Sam Allardyce on Adrian's sending off: "It's a foul on the goalie. Two hands around him, two around his back. It's bizarre why they can't see it but this is what we have to stomach today and it nearly cost us dearly. It lost us the opportunity to win the game and we had to battle with nine in the end when Carroll got injured to get an unbelievable point."

BBC Match of the Day's Phil Neville: "I'm with big Sam on this one. Adrian is fouled by Mane. He has got two arms around him and Adrian panics."

MOTD's Martin Keown: "It was a sending off. It's not a conspiracy against West Ham. There may be a hint of the foul there but the goalkeeper is taking a liberty. His first touch is poor and then he gets robbed by Mane. What big Sam will tell him in the next game is just to clear it."

Southampton have only left the top four for two weeks since September

Alex Song captained West Ham as Kevin Nolan (foot) and Mark Noble (virus) missed the fixture

Graziano Pelle had five shots in the game but could not score for the first time in eight league games