Premier League - Crazy finish as Saints survive Norwich fightback

Southampton's French midfielder Morgan Schneiderlin celebrates scoring the opening goal during the English Premier League football match between Southampton and Norwich

Premier League, St Mary’s – Southampton 4 (Schneiderlin 5, Lambert 57, Rodriguez 72, Gallagher 90'+2) Norwich 2 (Elmander 85, Snodgrass 86)

Southampton survived an extraordinary late Norwich fightback to edge the Canaries 4-2 at St Mary’s. Saints opened the scoring inside five minutes when the impressive Morgan Schneiderlin finished a slick move with an assured finished.

Mauricio Pochettino made an inspired substitution just before the hour, bringing on Rickie Lambert, who scored with his first touch. Lambert turned provider soon after as Jay Rodriguez put the icing on what was looking like a fine and very comfortable win for the home side.

But Southampton almost pressed the self-destruct button with two careless errors that opened the door for a Norwich side that had failed to register a shot on target for 85 minutes.

Their first came courtesy of a Jose Fonte error, as his back pass came up short and was intercepted by substitute Johan Elmander, who finished under the on-rushing Artur Boruc to give Norwich hope.

No sooner had that goal gone in then Norwich found themselves celebrating a second. This time Guly was guilty of surrendering possession and Robert Snodgrass stroked in after Boric had parried Ricky van Wolfswinkel’s effort.

As Norwich threw everything at Saints in search of an unlikely equaliser Southampton broke away and scored a fourth, with Gallagher tapping in his first Premier League goal.

MAN OF THE MATCH

Rickie Lambert (Southampton) - Scored with his first touch moments after coming off the bench and then set up the third for Rodriguez.

PLAYER RATINGS

SOUTHAMPTON: Boruc 6, Clyne 7, Fonte 5, Lovren 6, Shaw 6, Schneiderlin 8, S. Davis 7, Ward-Prowse 7, Lallana 6, Ramírez 6, Rodriguez 7. Subs: Lambert 8, Do Prado 6, Gallagher 7.

NORWICH: Ruddy 6, Whittaker 5, Yobo 5, R Bennett 6, Olsson 5; Tettey 6, Johnson 5, Howson 5; Snodgrass 6, Pilkington 5, Hooper 5. Subs: Van Wolfswinkel 6, Elmander 7, Redmond 6.