VICTOR WANYAMA TOOK advantage of an Eldin Jakupovic error as Southampton continued their fine run in a 1-0 Premier League win at Hull City.
Third-choice Hull keeper Jakupovic continued to deputise in the absence of Allan McGregor and Steve Harper in Saturday’s game at the KC Stadium.
And his mishit clearance after just three minutes fell into the path of Wanyama, who cleverly guided the ball home from distance for the only goal of the game.
On balance of play it was a deserved three points for Southampton, who remain second in the table, as Jakupovic’s opposite number Fraser Forster was rarely tested in his bid to impress the watching England manager Roy Hodgson.
Hull, who made one change from last week’s 0-0 draw at Liverpool with Paul McShane coming in for Alex Bruce, failed to stamp their authority on the game and fell to a second home league defeat of the season.
Wanyama’s early strike gave in-form Southampton a perfect start, and former Hull striker Shane Long — who moved to St Mary’s in August — was a constant threat for the visitors in the first half.
The second period failed to produce much in terms of goalmouth action, but Southampton substitute Saido Mane should have made it 2-0 when he put a gilt-edged opportunity from inside the six-yard box over the crossbar with 20 minutes remaining.
However, Wanyama’s third Premier League goal of the season proved enough for Southampton, who have now won 10 of their last 11 matches in all competitions.
Following the Kenyan’s opener, Hull enjoyed a spell of pressure and Hatem Ben Arfa should have done better when he stot tamely at Forster from the edge of the box on his favoured left foot.
But at the other end, Southampton nearly benefitted from another Jakupovic error. The Pole hesitated after realising Long would reach a long ball first and was relieved the ex-Hull man could not direct his looping header into the goal.
Southampton looked assured in possession after the break as Hull tried desperately to get a foothold in the game.
The visitors almost had a second in fortuitous circumstances when Graziano Pelle’s acrobatic overhead kick fell kindly for Steven Davis, who could only half-volley straight at Jakupovic from close range.
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Hull’s Mohamed Diame was perhaps lucky to escape punishment for a crude challenge on the heel of Dusan Tadic. But Tadic picked himself up and his teasing cross found Mane in a great position in the penalty area, only for the forward to flick his shot into the ground and over the crossbar in the 70th minute.
The hosts had tame shouts for a penalty denied when Robbie Brady’s cross appeared to hit Tadic on the hand, but Steve Bruce’s side rarely threatened the Southampton goal in the closing stages.
Indeed, it was the visitors who went closes to scoring again, as Pelle wasted a great chance to round off the win in the 89th minute when he clipped a shot wide at the near post after a fine delivery from Mane. It mattered little, though, as Ronald Koeman’s men march on.
Meanwhile, Roberto Martinez was unable to celebrate his 200th Premier League game as a manager with victory on Saturday as Everton were held 0-0 by 10-man, Swansea the club that gave him his first managerial post in 2007.
The 41-year-old Spaniard, who took Swansea into the Championship before moving on to Wigan and then Everton in the summer of 2013, threw on record signing, Belgian international striker Romelu Lukaku, who was returning from injury, late on to try and make it three wins in a row.
However, he was unable to prevent Everton going goalless for the first time this season in the Premier League — Chelsea are the only side now to have scored in every game — and continued their worrying form at home which has seen them win just once in five Premier League matches this term.
This despite Swansea playing the last 18 minutes with just 10 men after Jonjo Shelvey was sent off for a second bookable offence.
(West Bromwich Albion’s Chris Brunt celebrates after Leicester City’s Esteban Cambiasso [not pictured] scores an own goal)
In addition, a freakish own goal by Argentina international Esteban Cambiasso earned West Brom a 1-0 win in their first ever Premier League meeting with Leicester on Saturday.
Leicester, suffering their first defeat of the season at their King Power Stadium, started with lone striker David Nugent after manager Nigel Pearson dropped out of form Leonardo Ulloa to the bench.
The 34-year-old Cambiasso returned in midfield.
West Brom boss Alan Irvine made 10 changes from the team that lost to Bournemouth in the League Cup in midweek.
In a tightly matched first period Leicester’s Wes Morgan went close when sending a header wide off a Natty James corner.
On 43 minutes, West Brom’s Chris Brunt fired high after a searing run through the home defence by Saido Berahino.
West Brom broke the deadlock two minutes after the restart, in calamitous circumstances for the hosts when Morgan headed a clearance from a corner straight into the chest of Cambiasso with the ball rebounding into his own net.
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Finally, West Ham came from behind to maintain their position in the top four of the Premier League.
The visitors were without top goalscorer Diafra Sakho with a shoulder injury, and they fell behind in the first half as Victor Moses slid in from close range.
And the Potters doubled their lead before the hour mark as Mame Biram Diouf headed in Jonathan Walters’ cross, only for Enner Valencia to immediately halve the deficit with a header of his own.
The Ecuador then turned provided as his cross was converted by Stewart Downing
