Huddersfield 1-3 Southampton: Saints win second consecutive game

Nathan Redmond scored his first goal since May to set Saints on their way

Southampton manager Ralph Hasenhuttl said he was delighted he could share an "emotional moment" with Saints fans after his side won for the second game in a row with a 3-1 victory at Huddersfield.

Hasenhuttl celebrated with his players on the pitch in front of the away fans moments after the final whistle.

"I'm happy to have emotional moments with them at Christmas, and I'm happy they have seen a Southampton team that they want to see," said the Austrian, who replaced Mark Hughes earlier this month.

After a 3-2 win over Arsenal last Sunday, this was the first time Saints have won successive Premier League games since April 2017 and edged them up one place in the table to 16th.

Hasenhuttl's side were 2-0 up at the break thanks to Nathan Redmond's cool strike and a Danny Ings penalty, but the hosts improved after the break and halved the deficit through Philip Billing's swerving, long-range effort.

But Michael Obafemi's goal sealed a fifth consecutive defeat and a seventh loss at home for Town, who stay in the relegation zone.

"This was an important win to see how far we are in our development against an opponent who doesn't give many chances to win the ball early," Hasenhuttl told BBC Sport. "It's been important getting six points, but we march on."

Huddersfield, with just four goals scored at home so far this season, remain 19th and are without injured top scorer Aaron Mooy until February.

The Terriers were poor before half-time, and on the back foot from the moment Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg's through ball slipped through the legs of Terence Kongolo, allowing Redmond to race on to the pass and smash a first-time shot beyond Town keeper Jonas Lossl.

Mathias Jorgensen's trip on Ings inside the area gave the on-loan Liverpool striker the chance to send Lossl the wrong way from the spot, but Huddersfield's impressive fightback after the break was capped by Billing's second goal of the campaign.

Just when it looked like the home side might complete a comeback, Christopher Schindler's mistake near the byeline allowed Redmond to feed the exciting Obafemi, who steadied himself near the penalty spot before calmly rolling the ball into the net.

The Hasenhuttl effect

Although the manner of the performance was impressive enough, Saints fans will be stirred by the sight of their new manager out on the pitch celebrating with his players and in front of the hardy souls who had travelled to West Yorkshire on a bleak midwinter's day.

Prior to the arrival of the 'Klopp of the Alps', Southampton looked odds-on for a struggle in the darkest time of the year and with games piling up over the festive period.

But, by seeing off Arsenal at home and then Huddersfield on the road, the Austrian has undoubtedly lifted spirits.

Rather than the aggressive pressing style he is known for, Hasenhuttl's unchanged side bided their time against their pumped-up hosts before Redmond pounced to set them on their way.

And the cameo performance of Obafemi was another bright spot. At 18 years and 169 days old, the Republic of Ireland international became Southampton's youngest scorer in the Premier League, and also forced Lossl into a save late in the match.

Bad day at the office for Huddersfield

The errors by Kongolo and Schindler that led to Southampton's first and third goals summed up a one step forward, two steps back approach for the Terriers, with each undermining periods where they could have taken hold of the match.

Jorgensen's trip on Ings for the penalty just before half-time only added to the problems faced by Huddersfield manager David Wagner.

Maybe the German roused his side in the dressing room, because they looked a different proposition until Obafemi's killer blow, but the stark facts now are Huddersfield have huge problems as the season nears the halfway point.

That Billing's goal was just the fourth scored by the home side at the John Smith's Stadium this season is worrying enough, but the absence of Mooy until February is another headache for Wagner.

Man of the match - Nathan Redmond (Southampton)

Nathan Redmond took his chance superbly, and was a general nuisance to Huddersfield, making 31 passes in the Terriers' half and seeing three-quarters of all his passes find their target.

Hasenhuttl nearly catching Hughes already - the stats you may have missed

• Hasenhuttl has won two of his three Premier League matches in charge of Southampton (L1) - only one fewer than Mark Hughes managed in 22 attempts as Saints boss.

• Southampton have registered back-to-back Premier League wins for the first time since April 2017 under Claude Puel.

• Huddersfield have lost nine of their past 12 home Premier League games (W1 D2), netting just four goals in that time.

• Redmond scored his first Premier League goal of the season for Southampton with his 28th shot at goal.

• Since the start of last season, Huddersfield Town have had more different players booked for diving than any other Premier League team (4 - Rajiv van La Parra, Alex Pritchard, Laurent Depoitre and Chris Lowe).

• During 2018, Huddersfield have played 20 matches in all competitions at the John Smith's Stadium, scoring just 11 times (W3 D4 L13).

• Ings has scored five league goals (including play-offs) against Huddersfield - more than against any other side.

• Obafemi became both the youngest player to score in the Premier League for Southampton and also the youngest player from the Republic of Ireland to score in the competition.

What's next?

The Terriers travel to Old Trafford on 26 December to face Manchester United (15:00 GMT). Southampton get an extra day off, and face West Ham at home on Thursday (19:45 GMT).