Match ends, Southampton 4, Norwich City 2.
SouthamptonSouthampton4NorwichNorwich City2
Southampton maintained their hopes of securing European football by beating relegation-threatened Norwich.
Morgan Schneiderlin raced on to a Gaston Ramirez through-ball to put the Saints ahead, before Rickie Lambert calmly side-footed a second goal.
Jay Rodriguez steered in a third as the Saints looked to be easing to victory.
Goals by Norwich's Johan Elmander and Robert Snodgrass, after two defensive errors, led to an exciting finish, but Sam Gallagher's goal sealed the win.
With Chris Hughton's side chasing an unlikely point after being outplayed for the opening 85 minutes, they left themselves exposed to a counter-attack in injury-time and Gallagher was played in by Steven Davis to complete a remarkable end to the match.
Southampton were leading 3-0 and had looked in complete control against a Norwich side that had been woeful and struggled to create any chances.
But two goals in a minute, from Elmander and Snodgrass, following mistakes from Jose Fonte and Guly Do Prado, left the hosts hanging on before Gallagher's injury-time intervention.
With the team finishing in sixth place likely to qualify for next season's Europa League, Southampton could be playing in European competition for the first time since 2003-04.
Mauricio Pochettino's side are now eighth in the Premier League, six points behind sixth-placed Everton, and face crucial meetings with fellow-top 10 teams Tottenham and Newcastle in their next two games.
The Canaries, 15th in the table, face a critical spell, too, as they meet other struggling sides - Sunderland, Swansea, West Brom and Fulham - in their next four matches, before ending the season with games against Liverpool, Manchester United, Chelsea and Arsenal.
Norwich boss Chris Hughton had gambled by changing five of his side from the team that drew 1-1 with Stoke last week, with club captain Sebastien Bassong and £8.5m record signing Ricky van Wolfswinkel on the bench.
But the moves did not pay off as Southampton immediately put them under pressure.
Ramirez, in his second Premier League start of the season, headed over James Ward-Prowse's corner in the second minute before the hosts went ahead three minutes later.
England striker Jay Rodriguez, in front of watching national boss Roy Hodgson, linked up with Ramirez, who slid a well-weighted ball through a static Canaries defence and Schneiderlin ran on to the pass and finished well.
Davis and Ramirez both wasted good opportunities to double the hosts' lead and Southampton remained on top in the second half with John Ruddy saving Ward-Prowse's 25-yard effort and Adam Lallana flicking a corner wide.
The Saints captain was then replaced by Lambert and the England forward needed only 66 seconds to net his 10th goal of the season.
A clearance was flicked backwards by Norwich's Ryan Bennett and it fell to Lambert, who cut inside a half-hearted challenge from Joseph Yobo before calmly dispatching for 2-0.
Norwich made a triple substitution but Southampton went further ahead as Do Prado's shot was blocked and the ball fell to Lambert, who set up Rodriguez to score.
Rodriguez then hit the bar, before the game turned. Fonte's sloppy backpass let in Elmander and he prodded in for Norwich in the 85th minute, before Snodgrass followed up to convert after Artur Boruc could only parry Van Wolfswinkel's effort 60 seconds later.
But it would have been a travesty if Southampton had thrown this game away and Gallagher broke in injury-time to score his first league goal and give Saints the three points.
Southampton manager Mauricio Pochettino:
"We were leading the game 3-0 and had it in control but we suffered a bit at the end.
"In football, nothing is finished until the final whistle. We lacked focus at the back and you can't take anything for granted in the Premier League.
"We were far superior to Norwich throughout the game and we were playing against a very good team."
Norwich City manager Chris Hughton:
"We rallied in the end and made a game of it but we didn't deserve to be in that position as we had conceded poor goals.
"We had periods where we weathered the storm and got into good areas, but it was not consistent enough.
"At 3-0 down it was tough and it was nothing less than what we deserved, but we dug in and showed character."
Line-ups
Southampton
Formation 4-3-3
- 31Boruc
- 2Clyne
- 23Shaw
- 4Schneiderlin
- 6José Fonte
- 5Lovren
- 16Ward-Prowse
- 8DavisBooked at 35mins
- 9RodriguezSubstituted forGallagherat 90+3'minutes
- 10RamírezSubstituted forDo Pradoat 61'minutes
- 20LallanaSubstituted forLambertat 56'minutes
Substitutes
- 3Yoshida
- 7Lambert
- 21Do Prado
- 22Chambers
- 25Gazzaniga
- 26Hooiveld
- 40Gallagher
Norwich
Formation 4-1-4-1
- 1Ruddy
- 3Whittaker
- 23Olsson
- 27Tettey
- 26Yobo
- 24Bennett
- 7SnodgrassBooked at 60mins
- 8Howson
- 11HooperSubstituted forElmanderat 65'minutes
- 4JohnsonSubstituted forvan Wolfswinkelat 64'minutes
- 12PilkingtonBooked at 44minsSubstituted forRedmondat 65'minutes
Substitutes
- 2Martin
- 5Bassong
- 9van Wolfswinkel
- 13Bunn
- 14Hoolahan
- 16Elmander
- 22Redmond
- Referee:
- Kevin Friend
- Attendance:
- 29,828
Match Stats
Home TeamSouthamptonAway TeamNorwich
- Possession
- Home63%
- Away37%
- Shots
- Home17
- Away6
- Shots on Target
- Home6
- Away3
- Corners
- Home6
- Away1
- Fouls
- Home11
- Away17
Live Text
Post update
Full Time
Second Half ends, Southampton 4, Norwich City 2.
Goal!
Goal! Southampton 4, Norwich City 2. Sam Gallagher (Southampton) right footed shot from the centre of the box to the centre of the goal. Assisted by Steven Davis with a through ball following a fast break.
Post update
Delay over. They are ready to continue.
Post update
Delay in match Dejan Lovren (Southampton) because of an injury.
Substitution
Substitution, Southampton. Sam Gallagher replaces Jay Rodriguez.
Post update
Delay over. They are ready to continue.
Post update
Delay in match Guly (Southampton) because of an injury.
Post update
Foul by Guly (Southampton).
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Joseph Yobo (Norwich City) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Post update
Offside, Norwich City. John Ruddy tries a through ball, but Johan Elmander is caught offside.
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Foul by Guly (Southampton).
Post update
Joseph Yobo (Norwich City) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Goal!
Goal! Southampton 3, Norwich City 2. Robert Snodgrass (Norwich City) right footed shot from the right side of the box to the bottom right corner.
Post update
Attempt saved. Ricky van Wolfswinkel (Norwich City) right footed shot from outside the box is saved in the bottom right corner. Assisted by Johan Elmander.
Goal!
Goal! Southampton 3, Norwich City 1. Johan Elmander (Norwich City) right footed shot from the centre of the box to the centre of the goal.
Post update
Offside, Southampton. Steven Davis tries a through ball, but Jay Rodriguez is caught offside.
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Corner, Southampton. Conceded by John Ruddy.
Post update
Attempt saved. Rickie Lambert (Southampton) right footed shot from the centre of the box is saved in the centre of the goal. Assisted by Steven Davis with a through ball.
Post update
Jay Rodriguez (Southampton) hits the bar with a right footed shot from outside the box. Assisted by Guly.
