After a tense FA Cup quarter-final tie, Southampton came out on top winning 2-0 against League One promotion contenders, Wigan at the DW Stadium on Sunday.
Mark Hughes took charge of his first game after being appointed on Wednesday and Wigan came into the game looking to continue their impressive form against Premier League clubs.
The Latics started the better out of the two teams and dominated the first half with several opportunities to put the underdogs ahead but the Saints’ defence prevailed.
The visitors turned things around after half time and found a breakthrough through Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg, who got to Dusan Tadic’s corner first and expertly finished past Christian Walton in the 62nd minute.
Southampton had the chance to put the game to bed in the 72nd minute after Manolo Gabbiadini was tripped in the box and was awarded the penalty. However, Walton produced an unbelievable save to prevent an almost certain goal.
The Saints ended any chance of a comeback as in stoppage time, Cedric drove into the box and calmly finished the ball pass Walton to send Southampton to Wembley.
It was a perfect start for Hughes and it could be a sign of better things to come. Here are the ‘Three Standout Saints’ for Sunday’s game against Wigan Athletic.
Cedric
Despite having a shaky start to the game, Cedric soon redeemed himself in the second half. He brought pace and intensity to the game which we seemed to lack in the first half. He also produced a fantastic run to score his first goal for Southampton.
Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg
The Danish international battled hard throughout the game and his efforts were rewarded after he scored his first goal for Southampton with a superb finish from a Tadic corner. Hojbjerg’s consistent performances must surely secure his place in the starting 11 under Hughes.
Alex McCarthy
Alex McCarthy produced some fantastic saves in the first half to ensure that Wigan would not take the lead. He looked very confident, coming out for crosses and corners as well as keeping a well-deserved clean sheet. It’s safe to say that both keepers displayed an impressive performance.
