Stuart Armstrong’s sublime free-kick handed Southampton back-to-back Sky Bet Championship wins with a hard fought 1-0 victory at Stoke.
The midfielder’s right-footed effort just before half-time proved the difference at the bet365 Stadium as Russell Martin’s side built on their weekend win over Leeds, while the Potters slipped to their fifth loss in seven Championship games.
Stoke’s Ben Pearson unleashed the evening’s first effort but did not trouble Gavin Bazunu, before Sead Haksabanovic sliced wide as the hosts began brightly.
Kamaldeen Sulemana’s dangerous 18th-minute cross after getting past Ki-Jana Hoever from the left flank could not find a Saints player to finish.
Haksabanovic’s clever flick played in youngster Nathan Lowe – making his first Stoke start after netting Saturday’s winner against Bristol City – but Kyle Walker-Peters arrived to make a crucial challenge.
Southampton responded with a flowing counter-attack but Sulemana should have done better with it as he blasted into the stands.
Mehdi Leris robbed Ryan Manning and his teasing 24th-minute cross was met by Lowe, who headed into the ground before Bazunu claimed, while Adam Armstrong dragged wide at the other end not long after.
Stoke’s Lowe crossed from the left with 10 minutes of the first half remaining but his delivery was behind Leris, who would have had a simple finish.
The visitors broke the deadlock four minutes before the break as Stuart Armstrong’s sublime 25 yard free-kick flew past Mark Travers.
Junior Tchamadeu cut in from the right and unleashed a low effort which sailed just off target as the hosts sought a quick equaliser.
Adam Armstrong’s pinpoint cross found the goalscorer after the break but Burnley loanee Luke McNally’s vital block denied the midfielder’s header.
Sulemana forced Travers into action with a low 55th-minute block with his leg after the winger glided into the box, as Carlos Alcaraz headed the resulting corner into the goalkeeper’s arms.
At the other end, Daniel Johnson forced a save from Bazunu as the hosts’ penalty calls after Lowe went down under Jan Bednarek’s challenge went unanswered.
Leris’ teasing cross with 15 minutes to go was met by Stoke substitute Wesley but he could not find the target as the hosts sought an equaliser.
Sekou Mara could have doubled Southampton’s advantage after being picked out by fellow substitute Joe Aribo but slammed an 83rd-minute effort wide.
Will Smallbone nodded over Manning’s corner as full-time approached, before Stoke substitute Wouter Burger forced Bazunu to parry away a fierce injury-time effort at the other end.
Southampton successfully navigated 10 minutes added time after a lengthy stoppage due to injury for Stoke’s Ben Wilmot as Martin’s side emerged victorious.
Lucas Hernandez to miss Euro 2024 after PSG defender sustains knee injury
France have been dealt a blow ahead of Euro 2024 following confirmation that Paris Saint-Germain's Lucas Hernandez will miss the tournament.
Hernandez sustained a knee injury and had to be taken off in the 42nd minute of PSG's Champions League defeat to Borussia Dortmund on Wednesday.
And on Thursday, PSG announced Hernandez had sustained an anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury and will now need surgery.
"Lucas Hernandez suffered a torn anterior cruciate ligament in his left knee after coming off injured during the Champions League match," a statement read.
"An MRI scan carried out today confirmed the diagnosis made by the club's doctors on Wednesday evening.
"The player will undergo surgery in the next few days."
Hernandez suffered a similar injury during the last major international tournament, the 2022 World Cup, in which France finished as runners-up to Argentina.
The 28-year-old subsequently posted on his official Instagram account.
"When I signed with PSG, I made a promise that I would give my heart and soul to this team and this is what I have done ever since. Unfortunately, during last night's match I ended up with an injury," Hernandez said.
"I pushed myself back onto the field and tried to keep on fighting for our team, but it was not possible. My comeback will be stronger than ever before."
Will Still leaves Reims job with immediate effect
Will Still has left his role as Reims head coach with immediate effect, the Ligue 1 club announced on Thursday.
Still took over as Reims boss – initially on an interim basis – after Oscar Garcia was sacked in October 2022 and went unbeaten through his first 19 league games at the helm.
The 31-year-old was eventually handed the role on a permanent basis and led Reims to an 11th-placed finish in Ligue 1 in 2022-23, with his lack of a UEFA Pro Licence causing the club to be fined €25,000 per match until he began the course.
Reims are currently 11th in Ligue 1 again, though they are winless in their last five games and have lost each of their last three.
In a statement, the club said: "Following a meeting this morning between president Jean-Pierre Caillot, general manager Mathieu Lacour and head coach Will Still, it was mutually agreed that the two parties would not continue the sporting adventure together next season.
"In order to allow Reims to confidently look forward to the next year, it was also decided that Will Still and his deputy Nicolas Still would step down from their respective functions as of today."
Still was linked with the Sunderland job earlier this season and said in February that he would be open to joining an "ambitious" Championship club.
Coventry City 1-2 Ipswich Town: Burgess puts Tractor Boys on brink of promotion
Ipswich Town took a huge step to Premier League promotion after Cameron Burgess snatched a second-half winner in Tuesday's 2-1 victory over Coventry City.
Kieran McKenna's side require just one point from their final Championship game against League One-bound Huddersfield Town to go up, after a decisive victory at the Coventry Building Society Arena.
Kieffer Moore blasted in an eighth-minute opener for the visitors after Wes Burns' crafty cutback pass, easing the pressure on Ipswich and dampening the top-two hopes of third-placed Leeds United.
Haji Wright levelled in the second half, only for Burgess to squeeze a winning goal past Bradley Collins five minutes later, putting Ipswich on the brink of top-flight football for the first time since their relegation in 2002.
A draw against Huddersfield, who are 23rd and three points adrift of safety, would secure promotion at Portman Road, marking just the fourth instance of back-to-back promotions in the Premier League era.
Having managed to climb out of League One, McKenna's entertaining side would join Watford, rivals Norwich City and Southampton as the only sides to achieve the feat.
Data Debrief: Ipswich end winless run at perfect time
Prior to this game, only five teams had won fewer points in the Championship than Ipswich's six since the beginning of April (W1 D3 L1).
Yet McKenna's men refused to let their top-flight push derail as the Tractor Boys ended a four-game winless run to move within touching distance of history.
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