Leicester are sitting pretty at the top of the Championship next friday

                      Leicester are sitting pretty at the top of the Championship next friday

Leicester are sitting pretty at the top of the Championship after another Friday night mauling at St Mary’s which was at times reminiscent of the 9-0 victory to be achieved  in 2019.

It would take some implosion for Southampton to match the farcical display almost four years ago but Russell Martin’s side looked intent on giving it a go with their defence repeatedly cut open by Enzo Maresca’s side. They have now conceded nine goals in two games.

They were behind after 21 seconds as Stephy Malvididi preyed on a ponderous Shea Charles to play a one two with Jamie Vardy who scored from the edge of the

Southampton had given up a host of other opportunities before Will Smallbone lost possession and Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall found Kasey McAteer free at the far post to make it 0-2. “We want nine” sung the away end.

Not that the Leicester defence looked much more solid. Southampton’s forwards, in particular Che Adams, were finding plenty of gaps and he almost exploited Maresca’s defence as they nervously tried to play out from the back.

It was Harry Winks who lost the ball in his own penalty area with Smallbone quickly finding Adams before Mads Hermansen made a brilliant last-ditch save.

Adams was soon capitalising on another error as Callum Doyle lost his balance allowing the Saints striker to find Sam Edozie who dinked over Hermansen.

The home crowd responded and for a period the home side were looking likely to equalise. But Martin’s new-look defence parted once more to allow Winks to find Malvididi and in turn Wilfred Ndidi who showed neat footwork to restore the Foxes two-goal cushion on the stroke of half-time.

With Southampton committing ever more players forward, Leicester put the game beyond doubt with a fourth goal.

Kamaldeen Sulemana lost possession to Mavididi just outside the Leicester penalty area and the former Montpellier winger ran the length of the field to score into the bottom corner in front of the jubilant away fans, leaving Leicester in pole position.

in the final seconds of stoppage time, there was further misery for Southampton who had Sulemana sent off for a late challenge on James Justin.