Oriol Romeu capped off his man of the match performance with a wonderful goal as Southampton beat Norwich 2-0 on Friday night.
Norwich failed to register a single shot on target in the match, while Southampton had numerous chances to add to their tally as they extended their unbeaten league run to five games.
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After threatening from the start, the home side took the lead in the 36th minute when Che Adams bundled the ball over the line, before Romeu doubled their tally in the final minutes with a powerful volley.
The Canaries had hauled themselves out of the relegation zone prior to the international break following successive wins over Everton and Watford, but Dean Smith’s side now find themselves bottom again and five points from safety.
Southampton had already moved into the top 10 after they overwhelmed Everton 2-0 last weekend and the victory moved them above Brighton into ninth.
Norwich had the first chance of the game when Teemu Pukki wove his way into the box before finding Josh Sargent and after his blocked shot fell to Billy Gilmour, the Scot struck the ball well but it rebounded out for a corner.
That is outrageous, Ori 😅pic.twitter.com/EELtVBBuSG
— Southampton FC (@SouthamptonFC) February 25, 2022
Southampton came close to taking the lead when Armando Broja created space in the area then took a shot but it was well saved by Angus Gunn.
Gunn had to make a low save to deny Mohamed Elyounoussi from close range after the ball was flicked on to him by Broja from a James Ward-Prowse cross.
The Saints were eventually rewarded for their possession and dominance in the 36th minute.
Valentino Livramento made a promising run down the right and crossed the ball into the box, before a goalmouth scramble ensued.
The ball rebounded goalwards off Max Aarons, but Gunn was able to parry the ball straight into the path of Adams, who missed his first shot before putting the ball over the line from the floor.
Saints started the second half in the way they finished the first, with two well-struck corners that Norwich were only just able to keep away from the home side’s forwards.
Gunn also had to come off his line to head the ball ahead of Broja, who was almost picked out expertly by a long-range Ward-Prowse cross.
Stuart Armstrong managed to test Gunn from outside the area, but his well-struck shot was straight at the goalkeeper.
As the barrage of Southampton chances continued, Kyle Walker-Peters also hit a volley goalwards, but Gunn was alert once again.
The hosts eventually doubled their lead when Romeu hit a powerful volley from the edge of the box straight past Gunn for his first Saints goal since October 2020.