Southampton 3-0 Leicester City: Post-match review, Stats, Key moments

Dive into Ladbrokes’ post-match review of Southampton 3-0 Leicester City in the Championship on Tuesday, 25 November 2025, with stats, key moments and our take on the match.

Southampton took control early in this Championship clash, opening the scoring in the 18th minute when Taylor Harwood-Bellis headed home from Ryan Manning’s assist. They doubled their lead shortly after, with Finn Azaz slotting in, assisted by Leonardo Scienza at 23 minutes, capitalising on their dominance.

Leicester’s task got harder when Ola Aluko received a second yellow and was sent off at 33 minutes, leaving them with 10 men, and Southampton added a third before half-time through Harwood-Bellis again from Manning’s delivery at 42 minutes.

The second half saw Southampton maintain their grip with superior possession, though both sides made multiple substitutions to manage the game. Leicester struggled to create meaningful chances against the hosts’ solid defence, and while Southampton pushed for more, the scoreline remained 3-0. The match unfolded without major disruptions, reflecting Southampton’s efficient performance in a straightforward victory.

Southampton’s 61% possession underlined their command of the game, allowing them to dictate the tempo and build attacks consistently, which translated into 11 corners compared to Leicester’s three, highlighting their territorial dominance.

The hosts’ single yellow card to Flynn Downes at 68 minutes suggested disciplined play, while Leicester’s two yellows and a red card – both yellows to Ola Aluko, leading to his dismissal at 33 minutes – pointed to early frustration and a loss of composure that hampered their efforts.

With both teams using all five substitutions, Southampton refreshed their lineup in the latter stages to maintain energy, such as bringing on Joe Aribo and Welington at 67 minutes, whereas Leicester’s changes, including half-time switches like Stephy Mavididi for Jordan Ayew, aimed to stabilise after going down to 10 men but couldn’t shift the momentum.

The game’s first major turning point came at 18 minutes when Taylor Harwood-Bellis scored Southampton’s opener with a normal goal assisted by Ryan Manning, setting the tone for the hosts’ dominance. Leicester’s discipline faltered early with Ola Aluko’s yellow card at 5 minutes, followed by his second yellow and subsequent red card at 33 minutes, reducing them to 10 men and swinging momentum firmly towards Southampton. This was compounded at 23 minutes by Finn Azaz’s goal, assisted by Leonardo Scienza, extending the lead.

Southampton capitalised further before the break with Harwood-Bellis netting his second normal goal at 42 minutes, again assisted by Manning, effectively sealing the match. The second half featured a yellow card for Southampton’s Flynn Downes on 68 minutes amid a spell of control, while both teams’ substitutions – like Leicester’s half-time introductions of Jordan Ayew and Boubakary Soumare – attempted to adjust, but no further goals or dramatic shifts occurred.

Southampton lined up in a 3-4-2-1 formation, which provided a solid defensive base with Taylor Harwood-Bellis anchoring the back three while allowing wing-backs like Ryan Manning to contribute offensively, as seen in his two assists.

This setup enabled them to control possession and generate corners effectively throughout the match. Substitutions, such as Welington replacing Manning at 67 minutes and later changes like Damion Downs for Leonardo Scienza at 78 minutes, helped maintain their structure and freshness without disrupting the overall dominance.

Leicester City deployed a 4-2-3-1 formation, aiming for midfield solidity with players like Boubakary Soumare, but the early red card to Ola Aluko at 33 minutes exposed vulnerabilities in their setup, limiting their attacking options. The structure struggled to cope with Southampton’s pressure, leading to fewer corners and possession.

Half-time substitutions, including Jordan Ayew for Stephy Mavididi and Boubakary Soumare for Issahaku Fatawu at 46 minutes, along with later changes like Silko-Amari Thomas for Patson Daka at 68 minutes, sought to add resilience and threat, but the numerical disadvantage hindered any real recovery.

Taylor Harwood-Bellis earned Man of the Match honours for Southampton with a commanding display, scoring two goals in 90 minutes while contributing zero assists, zero big chances created, and zero key passes. His brace proved decisive in securing the 3-0 victory.

Recent Championship matches:

• Win: 3-0 vs Leicester City (H)
• Win: 5-1 vs Charlton Athletic (A)
• Win: 3-1 vs Sheffield Wednesday (H)
• Win: 2-1 vs Queens Park Rangers (A)
• Loss: 0-2 vs Preston North End (H)

Recent Championship matches:

• Loss: 0-3 vs Southampton (A)
• Win: 2-1 vs Stoke City (H)
• Win: 2-1 vs Norwich City (A)
• Draw: 1-1 vs Middlesbrough (H)
• Loss: 0-2 vs Blackburn Rovers (H)

Southampton head into their next Championship fixture against Millwall on 29 November at 15:00 with boosted confidence from this convincing 3-0 win, sitting 11th with 24 points. The dominant performance, highlighted by Harwood-Bellis’s goals and strong possession, suggests they could carry momentum forward, though they’ll need to manage any fatigue from substitutions without reported injuries or suspensions impacting the squad.

Leicester City, currently 13th with 24 points, face Sheffield United in the Championship on 29 November at 12:30, looking to bounce back from this 3-0 defeat marked by an early red card and defensive lapses. The loss of discipline and inability to recover with 10 men could linger, but their use of substitutions shows squad depth that might help in regrouping for a potentially tight encounter.

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Odds and market details are accurate as of the time of publication.