Leicester City showcased their dominance with a resounding 5-0 victory over Southampton at the King Power Stadium, propelling them closer to securing a return to the Premier League. The Foxes’ triumph was spearheaded by Abdul Fatawu’s remarkable hat-trick, complemented by goals from Wilfried Ndidi and Jamie Vardy.
The Foxes’ resurgence commenced in the 25th minute when Fatawu capitalized on Wout Faes’ ball recovery and Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall’s precise pass, effortlessly guiding the ball beyond Alex McCarthy. Despite protests from Southampton manager Russell Martin, who claimed Che Adams was fouled and Fatawu offside, the goal stood.
Southampton emerged from halftime with renewed vigor, but it was Leicester who struck the next blow. Stephy Mavididi’s cross found Ndidi, who expertly headed the ball into the net. Fatawu then showcased his brilliance with a stunning goal from the edge of the box, cutting in from the right before unleashing a shot that bent past McCarthy.
Fatawu’s scoring spree continued as he set up Vardy for Leicester’s fourth goal, his low cross met by the clinical striker at the near post. The Foxes’ scoring onslaught was capped off by Fatawu’s third goal, as he converted Vardy’s cross following a swift counter-attack that left Southampton vulnerable.
Leicester’s victory leaves them with a narrow one-win gap to bridge when they face Preston next Monday night. For Southampton, the heavy defeat effectively sentences them to the play-offs, as they trail Leeds by six points and have only two matches remaining.
