SOUTHAMPTON failed to get the morale-boosting win they wanted ahead of Sunday’s FA Cup semi-final against Chelsea.
Judging on the evidence of their latest pitiful performance, Antonio Conte’s men may as well book their hotel for the final now.
If the threat of imminent relegation couldn’t scare this sorry Saints side into a performance it’s unlikely they are going to trouble last season’s champions at Wembley.
Jamie Vardy came closest to breaking the deadlock in front of watching England boss Gareth Southgate, when he took Marc Albrighton’s through ball in his stride on the volley.
However his left foot shot was expertly tipped over by Alex McCarthy midway through the second half, while Riyaf Mahrez flashed a shot narrowly wide near the end.
But that was about as lively as this tepid affair got and though Leicester could be excused – what the hell were Saints playing at?
Mark Hughes strugglers simply had to end a dismal run which had seen them win just once in their last 20 Premier League games.
Even that rare success had come in a 3-2 against rock bottom West Brom in March and clearly hadn’t provided the shot in the arm their anxious fans would have hoped for.
With five games left to pull out of their tailspin it was pretty much now or never for Hughes’s side who end the season with a treacherous final day fixture at home to champs Manchester City.
Four straight Prem defeats had done nothing for fragile confidence but Sparky kept faith with the same side which had stormed into a 2-0 lead against Chelsea on Saturday – before blowing it!
More to follow…
INTERACTIVE STATS – CLICK on the categories to find out how the teams fared
INTERACTIVE STATS – CLICK on a player’s number below to see their stats
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