Southampton’s unbeaten run ends in 3-1 defeat at Wolverhampton

Raúl Jiménez and Conor Coady scored either side of half-time before Adama Traoré added a third to end Southampton’s four-match Premier League unbeaten run, which came in a 3-1 defeat at Wolverhampton on Saturday.

James Ward-Prowse cut the lead in half six minutes from full-time with a sensational free-kick from 30 yards out, which set up for a dramatic conclusion that saw Romain Perraud hit the post before Stuart Armstrong scuffed the rebound into the Sá’s grasp.

Adam Traore came off the bench to seal all three points when he put Salisu on the back foot before sliding a left-footed effort into the net in added time.

Southampton sit in 12th position in the league table on 24 points. With the win, Wolves moved to just four points outside of the European places, the last currently held by Arsenal in fifth.

An unchanged Southampton side made the brighter start, but were unable to take advantage of their early pressure that saw them earn a handful of corner-kicks before Wolves grew into the game.

Lyanco nearly gifted Wolves the lead, but he was able to clear the ball over his own bar to prevent Rayan Aït-Nouri’s cross from reaching its intended target.

Wolves effort, however, came to a head when Aït-Nouri put Jan Bednarek into difficulty at the back, with the defender collided with the Wolves wing-back in the box after failing to reach the ball with a lunging challenge in the box.

After a lengthy VAR review, which included referee Michael Salisbury heading over to the monitor, he made no hesitation in pointing to the penalty spot where Jiménez calmly converted to make it 1-0 to Wolves.

Mohammed Salisu should’ve had an instant reaction for Saints when he rose highest to meet Oriol Romeu’s cross, only to head straight at the goalkeeper from point-blank range.

Coady, who had been denied a goal by the offside flag just minutes before, headed in the rebound after Max Kilman hit the post from Aït-Nouri’s free-kick delivery that had left Fraser Forster frozen in no-man’s land.

Ward-Prowse made it 2-1 from distance when he put his right-footed through a free-kick that beat a sprawling Sá. But Perraud and S. Armstrong were unable to complete the comeback for Saints as they missed chances in quick succession.

Wolverhampton (3-4-3): Sá; Gomes, Coady, Kilman; Aït-Nouri, Moutinho, Dendoncker, Semedo; Pondence (Cundle 90+5), Trincão (Traoré 78), Jiménez (Silva 80)

Unused subs: Ruddy (GK), Jordão, Moulden, Giles, Sanderson, Campbell

Goals: Jiménez (37 PEN)

Bookings: Pondence (43), Jiménez (61), Traoré (90+1)

Southampton (3-4-3): Forster; Salisu, Lyanco, Bednarek; Perraud, Diallo (Adams 46), Romeu, Ward-Prowse; Tella (S. Armstrong 71), Broja (A. Armstrong 78), Redmond

Unused subs: Caballero (GK), Walker-Peters, Stephens, Long, Small, Valery

Goals: Ward-Prowse (84)

Bookings: Lyanco (58), Ward-Prowse (86), Salisu (88)