Southampton 5-0 Swansea City: Boss Russell Martin sees Saints crush ex-club Swans

Southampton were relegated from the Premier League last season

Southampton moved up to third in the Championship as Russell Martin saw his Saints side crush his former club Swansea City 5-0.

Joe Aribo gave Saints the lead with their first effort on goal as the Swans paid for two early missed chances.

Southampton were gifted a second goal as Sam Edozie scored following a howler from Swansea goalkeeper Carl Rushworth.

Saints sub Ryan Fraser then scored twice before he turned provider for Che Adams who tapped home a fifth goal.

Southampton's thumping win lifts them above Leeds United and just four points behind Ipswich Town in the race for an automatic promotion spot.

This was a contest that underlined why Saints boss Martin opted to leave Swansea for Southampton.

His current side flexed their muscles in the Championship promotion fight with an eye-catching victory that means they are now enjoying their best run of results in 73 years.

The reunion between Swansea and Martin for the first time since his summer departure was an intriguing prospect.

Unbeaten in 16 games and having now won seven on the spin, Southampton are settling nicely into life under the management of Martin, with Swansea contrastingly without a permanent manager after sacking Martin's successor Michael Duff.

Martin spent two seasons with Swansea before leaving for St Mary's in June and he admitted he departed Wales thinking "what might have been" had he received more backing in the transfer market.

Swansea's supporters still hold Martin in high regard and would have entered this fixture fearful of extending their miserable run on the south coast, with the Swans winning just one of their last 15 away league games against Saints.

However, it was the visitors who dominated in the early exchanges as Swansea's fans and caretaker boss Alan Sheehan were left to rue their side spurning two golden opportunities.

Jerry Yates could not find the target from close range as he stretched to reach Ben Cabango's header on four minutes, before Jamal Lowe lashed the ball over the crossbar 10 minutes later.

Southampton took full advantage of Swansea's profligacy by scoring with their first opportunity, as Aribo found the corner of the net on 17 minutes as the visitors failed to clear from Edozie's mazy run and cross.

The goal changed the contest, with the home side looking the more likely to add to the scoring before the interval, as Adam Armstrong shot straight at Rushworth on 20 minutes after Kyle Walker-Peters found him unmarked.

Armstrong has failed to score against Swansea in six Championship appearances but he again came close on 29 minutes, as Rushworth denied him as he palmed to safety from a firmly struck shot on the turn.

Rushworth has been an impressive performer for the Swans this season but he was part of a defensive calamity on 48 minutes as he completely missed Nathan Wood's wayward backpass, with the Brighton loanee kicking at fresh air as Edozie cleverly backheeled the ball into the net.

Swansea turned to their bench and Oli Cooper shot straight at Gavin Bazunu, before Rushworth saved to deny Aribo a second goal.

A comeback never seemed on the cards and Southampton added a third when Armstrong took advantage of Swansea conceding possession trying to pass out from the back, as he found Fraser who bent the ball into the top corner of the net with a beautiful first-time finish from 20 yards.

Fraser scored his second on 87 minutes, firing home from Sekou Mara's cutback after a flowing team move, before Adams tapped home after Fraser found him with a deep, floated cross.

Southampton boss Russell Martin told BBC Sport Wales:

"It's difficult playing against people you have genuine affection for, so the celebrations were a bit more muted from us today.

"The players have been amazing, we are in a job where we have to win and we are at a club now where we need to perform and we need to win.

"I hope the Saints fans enjoyed watching us play today… you could see the talent and athleticism that we have.

"I think Alan [Sheehan] has done a really good job. It isn't my situation, but it [Swansea struggling] doesn't surprise me."

Swansea caretaker boss Alan Sheehan told BBC Sport Wales:

"It was a really tough one to take today, in the first half we wanted to be brave and go after them and we did for large parts.

"To come out after the break and concede a goal like that, it puts you on the back foot and after that it was not acceptable. We need to be better and I know that.

"Individual mistakes cost us on a number of goals today. We need to be better. We tried to go toe-to-toe with one of the form sides in the division and we did for 45 minutes.

"It's up to me to pick the players up. We had an honest conversation with the players about the second half… to the fans who travelled, all I can do is take responsibility for it and apologise."