Southampton v Leicester: Saints boss apologises after historic 9-0 thrashing

Saints left-back Ryan Bertrand makes history by becoming the first top-flight player to be sent off after a VAR review.

 

Southampton’s manager has apologised to fans after the team were thrashed 9-0 at home to Leicester – who set a new record for the biggest ever away win in 131 years of English top-flight football.

It was also the joint biggest win in Premier League history, with Manchester United beating Ipswich 9-0 in 1995.

Leicester’s Ayoze Perez and Jamie Vardy both scored hat-tricks as Saints fans watched their team endure the worst loss in their 134-year existence.

Southampton left-back Ryan Bertrand also made history by becoming the first top-flight player to be sent off because of a VAR review after a dangerous lunge at Perez before the Foxes forward scored – leaving the Saints one man down for 78 minutes.

Ralph Hasenhuttl, Southampton’s manager, took the blame for his team’s embarrassing performance, while Leicester boss Brendan Rodgers hailed his team’s win a “perfect performance”.

“My reaction is that I must apologise for this performance. I take 100% responsibility for what happened today,” Hasenhuttl said.

“This was absolutely no-go in any way and I want to say that I am proud of the fans – they were staying in the stadium until the end of the game – because it was not easy to watch it for anybody who is following us.

“I think they did it quite well until the end to stay here and to stay with us. We have to apologise for what happened today and stand up again.

“You can call it helpless, you can call it whatever you want. It was a disaster.

“In my entire life, I haven’t had a game like this and I also thought that this cannot happen. It’s 12 or 13 years now as a head coach and it was an experience I never had in my life so far.”

Before the game, Hassenhuttle said he thought his side could have a “dirty win” after no victories on home soil since mid-April.

Saints captain Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg said in a video posted to the club’s Twitter account: “If I speak from the heart, I don’t think it will end very well.

“I can only apologise. It’s very embarrassing and it’s very difficult for the whole team.

“We are the ones to blame. You need to blame us, we need to take it.

“I’m sorry. The only thing I can say to the fans is I apologise.”

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