BIRTHDAY BOY James Ward-Prowse celebrated his 26th birthday with a couple of sensational free-kicks as Saints made beating Villa look like a piece of cake.
Ralph Husenhattl’s side cruised into third place in the Premier League ahead of Spurs’ game against Brighton, with as convincing a victory as they could have wished for.
Southampton may resemble Peru in their natty new white strip with the red sash.
But this was just like watching Brazil as free kick specialist JWP produced a couple of belters Garrincha, Rivelino, Ronaldo, Roberto Carlos or Pele himself would have been proud of.
The England midfielder couldn’t have asked for a better birthday present than passing Saints legend Matt Le Tissier’s record for free kick goals in the Premier League.
His second stunning dead-ball strike took Ward-Prowse’s tally to eight – one more than his hero and mentor.
Villa were up against it from the start but they must have thought their luck was in when Jannick Vestergard’s header from a Ward-Prowse corner flew off Ezri Konsa and into the net after three minutes – only for VAR to confirm Che Adams had strayed a fraction offside at the back post.
How wrong they were!
There was no stopping Ralph’s rampant Saints who took the lead after 20 minutes with a near replica of the goal that got away.
Ward-Prowse fired in a free kick at pace and Vestergaard met it full on to bullet an unstoppable header beyond the helpless Martinez.
The birthday boy then took centre stage with a fabulous couple of free kicks.
Douglas Luic fouled comeback Saint Theo Walcott on his return, 20 yards out and Ward-Prowse produced a perfect finish as he found the pace, power and precision to leave Martinez floundering despite his full-length dive.
The ex-Gunners goalie was gasping again on the stroke of half-time when Ward-Prowse beat him again to overtake Le Tiss.
Matty Cash threw up an arm to stop Che Adams’ cross reaching Theo Walcott – in truth Martinez probably wished the offence had taken place INSIDE his box.
Because the Argentine keeper probably felt he stood more chance of saving a penalty than a free kick with Ward-Prowse in this form.
Sure enough, the midfielder managed to somehow get enough power and dip to leave the baffled goalie grasping at thin air again.
In-form Danny Ings got in on the act, adding an equally stunning fourth goal with a dipping shot from 25 yards which crashed in off the underside of the Villa crossbar.
Tyrone Mings thought he had nabbed a consolation goal for Dean Smith’s shell-shocked side after 62 minutes when he soared to head home a Jack Grealish cross following a short corner.
Instead it sparked an unexpected late Villa comeback.
Three minutes into stoppage time Villa were awarded a penalty when Saints’ sub Ibrahima Diallo carelessly tripped Grealish in the box.
Ollie Watkins strode forward to send McCarthy the wrong way to make it 4-2.
Incredibly, Villa found time to add a third, seven minutes into injury time as this crazy game came to a thrilling conclusion.
Grealish wandered in from the left and suddenly whipped in a right foot shot which left McCarthy looking sheepish as the ball sailed in at his near post to cut Saints lead to a single goal.
In truth they won this one by a country mile as they underlined why they are the Premier League’s away experts as they clocked up their NINTH win on the road since their 3-1 win here four days before Christmas.
