Southampton 1-2 Hull City

First-half finishes from Anass Zaroury and Fábio Carvalho secured a third successive win as Hull City stunned top-two chasing Southampton to climb to sixth.

Zaroury followed up Jaden Philogene’s effort to put the Tigers ahead on 11 minutes and Carvalho doubled the lead before the break after being played in by Philogene.

Substitute Joe Aribo pulled one back late on but City deservedly held on to claim a fourth consecutive away victory and rise into the play-offs.

Jean Michaël Seri came back into the fold following his Africa Cup of Nations triumph with the Ivory Coast as one of three changes from the dramatic 2-1 victory at Huddersfield Town.

Abdüs Ömür, having provided the assist for Jacob Greaves’ last-gasp winner, made his first start and captain Lewie Coyle was recalled.

Ozan Tufan, Billy Sharp and Tyler Morton dropped to the bench, with Noah Ohio absent from the squad.

Saints went a club-record 25 matches unbeaten before losing to Bristol City the game before last and knew victory would see them leapfrog Leeds United into the automatic promotion places.

A spot in the top six would be the Tigers’ reward should defeat be avoided and Zaroury signalled the visitors’ intent with a sixth-minute effort that flashed wide of the near post.

The home side were almost gifted a goal when Will Smallbone dispossessed Seri on the 18-yard line but Joe Rothwell’s placed finish when one-on-one was blocked by the legs of Ryan Allsop.

Russell Martin’s men had won 11 consecutive home games, scoring three or more goals in seven of them, and not suffered defeat at St Mary’s since September.

But Southampton were stunned on 11 minutes when Philogene’s fizzing effort was parried by goalkeeper Gavin Bazunu into the path of Zaroury, who calmly side-footed home.

Encouraged by the lead, City went close twice in two minutes; first, Philogene evaded Ryan Manning but Gavin Bazunu stood strong to block before Carvalho broke free down the left and fed Ömür, who turned and lashed wide.

The Tigers were tearing through Saints and scored a second nine minutes before the break when Philogene pickpocketed Rothwell and slipped in Carvalho to finish right footed past Bazunu.

Pressing intently and passing slickly, City continued to carve shell-shocked Saints open as Coyle carried over halfway and teed up Zaroury to stroke wide of the far post.

The promotion-hunting Hampshire hosts recovered a two-goal deficit to prevail 5-3 over Huddersfield in their previous home game and made three half-time alterations in search of a similar response.

A skewed Smallbone shot aside, which was never troubling Allsop, there was little sign of a Saints fightback in the early stages of the second half.

As the hour approached, Manning stepped inside Alfie Jones – back at his former club – before firing beyond the far upright and Che Adams steered wide of the near post.

Tufan and Morton were sent on but the pressure was beginning to build and Aribo was thwarted by an important block by Coyle, with Ryan Fraser lifting the follow-up over the top.

Another Fraser effort was blocked as the Tigers defended with discipline and determination to limit Southampton to few clear sights of goal.

A stretching Aribo diverted Manning’s low centre goalwards but his effort lacked power and a flying Allsop held.

Aribo, though, was not to be denied with his next opportunity, drilling powerfully beyond Allsop with two minutes left to set up a nervy finale.

City defended manfully to withstand sustained pressure and six minutes of stoppage time to secure a first win at Southampton since 1951.

Attendance: 26,834.

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