Nathan Redmond hauls Southampton towards safety with win over Wolves

This deserved victory brought Southampton within touching distance of accomplishing the survival mission entrusted to Ralph Hasenhüttl in December. Saints were floundering in 18th position when the Austrian replaced Mark Hughes as manager and had a solitary Premier League win for the season.

Since then they have been transformed and this win, their eighth in the league under Hasenhüttl, could have been even more emphatic. It hoisted them eight points clear of the team now in 18th, Cardiff City.

“It was a massive win but we are not celebrating staying in the league yet,” said Hasenhüttl while Southampton fans did exactly that in the stands. The way Southampton are playing now makes a sudden collapse highly unlikely.

Under Hasenhüttl they have a method, intelligence and vital energy, and within that collective certain players are shining. None more so than Nathan Redmond. A player once compared to a young Thierry Henry by the former Southampton manager Claude Puel and publicly encouraged by Pep Guardiola to express his skills more boldly is thriving under Hasenhüttl. His two goals here took his tally for the season to eight in all competitions and put Southampton out of Wolves’ reach.

“I think we have a special relationship and I demand a lot from him,” said Hasenhüttl. “I ask him to show he is the guy who can make a difference. Today he was in the right place and the right moment and his finishing was clinical.”

Redmond struck here after less than two minutes, raising suspicions that Wolves were still mourning last week’s defeat in the FA Cup semi-final. Nuno Espírito Santo rubbished that theory but the visiting defence looked sleepy as Josh Sims raced down the right wing and sent in a low cross that Redmond turned into the net after darting in front of Romain Saïss.

The creation of that goal brought more vindication for Hasenhüttl, who had chosen to give Sims a first start since the winger returned in January from an unhappy loan spell at Reading. Hasenhüttl suspected that Sims’ speed could trouble Wolves’ left wing-back, Jonny, and he was right.

Jonny scored his only goal of the season during Wolves’ 2-0 win against a Hughes-led Southampton in September but Sims forced him on to the back foot for much of this match. Nonetheless, once Wolves woke up they enjoyed plenty of possession and made sure that the hosts also had to defend.

Rúben Neves had a shot blocked before Leander Dendoncker sent a header wide from eight yards. The visitors deserved their equaliser when it came in the 28th minute, Willy Boly rising well to head a corner by João Moutinho into the net from eight yards.

Southampton regained their lead within two minutes. Sims was involved again before Danny Ings slipped a nifty pass through to Redmond, who had scampered unnoticed through the heart of the Wolves defence and finished with a dainty clip over Rui Patrício.

Sims should have scored before the break following another cute pass from Ings but dragged a shot wide from the edge of the box.

Wolves had plenty of possession in the second half but Southampton kept them out of harm’s way. Then in the 69th minute Maya Yoshida misdirected a header straight to Raúl Jiménez and was grateful to see the striker welly a wild shot into the stands from 15 yards. The Mexican could have done with a mask to hide his embarrassment.

The cost of that miss increased moments later when Yoshida helped to increase Southampton’s lead. After Wolves failed to clear a corner the defender tried to score with an overhead kick. The ball rebounded to him and, while still on the ground, he stabbed it into the path of Shane Long, who flicked it into the net from close range.

Two minutes later Patrício made a point-blank save to stop Yoshida from inflicting more damage. No matter, Southampton’s job was done.