Saints shatter fragile Foxes

Swede success: Svensson was the star for Southampton

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Leicester 0-4 Southampton

Swedish international Anders Svensson inspired Southampton to a clear-cut victory over fellow Premiership strugglers Leicester.

The midfielder, a £700,000 summer signing from Elfsborg, scored twice as the visitors dominated at Filbert Street.

Svensson's well-struck volley gave the Saints an early lead and his first goal in the Premiership.

  Key incidents

12: Svensson puts the Saints ahead

64: Beattie converts Southampton's second

75: Svensson on the mark again for the visitors

90: Pahars adds to Leicester's misery

James Beattie extended the advantage with a second-half goal.

Svensson struck the third and Marian Pahars completed the rout.

Leicester striker Ade Akinbiyi was substituted after missing a number of chances for the home side.

The Foxes missed skipper Matt Elliott, who was detained overnight in hospital with a leg infection.

The captain was replaced at the heart of the defence by local boy Matthew Heath, in only his second full appearance for the Foxes.

Southampton's new signing from Blackpool, striker Brett Ormerod, was left on the bench as Beattie and Pahars continued up front.

Svensson put the Saints ahead in the 12th minute after latching onto a flick-on from Pahars, and volleying a right-footed drive past Leicester goalkeeper Ian Walker.

Marian Pahars finished off the scoring

The Swede could have made it two when Beattie flicked the ball into his path, but he volleyed over the bar from 12 yards out.

Southampton dominated for much of the first half, although Akinbiyi prodded the ball just past the post after Scowcroft had flicked on a free-kick from Callum Davidson.

Akinbiyi went on to fluff two good chances to equalise.

Poor control

His control let him down when a misdirected Beattie header left the striker with the goal at his mercy.

Then Akinbiyi was put clear by Rogers but he drilled his shot across the face of goal.

Beattie put Saints two up 19 minutes into the second half when he converted a Pahars cross.

Svensson took advantage of hesitation in the Foxes defence to score Southampton's third 11 minutes later after a Paul Telfer shot had been blocked.

And Pahars completed the demolition job with a low strike inside the penalty area as the final whistle neared.

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Leicester: Walker, Marshall, Davidson, Heath, Sinclair, Impey, Savage, Wise, Rogers, Akinbiyi, Scowcroft. Subs: Royce, Deane, Izzet, Jones, Benjamin.

Southampton: Jones, Dodd, Bridge, Williams, Lundekvam, Telfer, Oakley, Svensson, Marsden, Beattie, Pahars. Subs: Moss, Ormerod, Delap, Petrescu, El Khalej.

Referee: G Poll (Tring)