Saints’ European hopes were given a significant boost as they defeated bottom of the table Aston Villa 4-2.

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Two goals from Dusan Tadic and others from Shane Long and Sadio Mane secured a win on a tricky afternoon for Saints as they played in a toxic atmosphere at Villa Park.

With Newcastle fighting back from two goals down to draw 2-2 with Liverpool at Anfield, the three points for Saints increased their chances of a top six finish.

Saints started the game in commanding fashion, and so nearly took the lead after two minutes.

A ball around the outside of the defence was collected by Shane Long. He got a fortunate ricochet to keep it in his path towards goal.

It sat up just in front of him 12 yards out but his half volley slammed against the underside of the bar and bounced away.

Villa did test Fraser Forster on eight minutes with Jordan Ayew getting in a low drive from the edge of the area that the Saints keeper got down at his near post to stop.

Five minutes later the Villa striker lashed into the side netting.

Long may have missed his earlier chance but he was not going to be denied when presented with an even better opening on 15 minutes.

It was unbelievably poor defending from Villa who allowed Ryan Bertrand to receive the ball back from a left wing throw in and measure a pinpoint cross into the box.

Long drifted in totally unmarked and from six yards out he headed past Brad Guzan for 1-0.

Villa should have levelled things up on 22 minutes as Leandro Bacuna arrived ahead of Cedric Soares to meet a left wing cross but from eight yards out he headed wide.

Koeman would have been keen for Saints to get a second goal to give his side a cushion with such a low intensity level in the game as a result of Villa’s poor play, awful form and the terrible atmosphere in the half empty stadium with the fans either booing their own team or trying to throw paper aeroplanes onto the pitch.

They nearly delivered it on the half hour mark as Victor Wanyama’s blocked shot fell to Virgil van Dijk. His low drive looked to have Brad Guzan beaten but struck the near post and went away from danger.

Long did get the ball in the net four minutes later but was correctly flagged for offside.

The reason that Saints needed another goal was illustrated moments later as only a good last ditch tackle from Cedric prevented Ashley Westwood converting from close range.

The second goal did come on 39 minutes.

Long outpaced Joleon Lescott to get in behind after intercepting a sloppy backpass and was stopped from scoring by Guzan getting down at his feet and a hand to the ball.

However, Long picked up the rebound and squared it to Dusan Tadic who produced a calm first time sidefooted finish past Lescott to make it 2-0.

Much to the surprise of their own fans, and the annoyance of Koeman, Villa did pull a goal back seconds before half time.

Saints failed to close down sufficiently out wide and allowed Ayew to get in a left wing cross.

After a mix up in the area which saw Saints miss a chance to clear, the ball fell to Westwood who half volleyed low across goal and into the bottom corner to make it 2-1 at the break.

Koeman made a change for the second half with Jordy Clasie replacing Wanyama, while, for Villa, Kevin Toner came on for Micah Richards.

Jay Rodriguez had struggled to have a consistent invoivlement in the game as he felt his way back into things after so long out but almost provided a goal with an acrobatic volley six yards out, but it fired straight into Lescott and ricocheted wide.

Alan Hutton became the first man in the book for dragging down Bertrand as he threatened to burst into the box before Villa threw on big striker Rudy Gestede for Ayew on 59 minutes.

Steven Davis whipped in the free kick from the left wing but Guzan was alert at his near post and turned it over the bar.

Rodriguez was starting to look very dangerous and after winning possession he fired in a shot from 20 yards but it was straight at Guzan.

As long as Saints didn’t put the game to bed then Villa always had a chance of getting back into it, and they issued a reminder as Gestede’s flicked header landed on the roof of the net.

Villa brought on Jack Grealish for Carlos Sanchez before Saints tried to get some intensity into a meandering game with Sadio Mane replacing Rodriguez on 70 minutes.

They did just that a minute later as Saints scored a third and wrapped up the three points.

Villa gave the ball away near the Saints box and a quick break saw Long push forward before squaring to Tadic.

He took one touch to set the ball onto his left and a second to fire in a low shot from the edge of the area which took a slight deflection and went into the bottom corner.

Long almost got another as Guzan spilled a routine cross but he had to react instantly and couldn’t prevent his shot going over the bar.

Saints again paid the price for a drop in intensity as Villa pulled one back five minutes from time.

Grealish’s right wing cross came to the unmarked Westwood just inside the area and he curled a right footed shot into the opposite bottom corner for 3-2.

Long nearly finish it off as he got in but lashed a shot wide of the near post.

The fourth official held up the board to show five minutes of added time and deep into it Saints added another goal as Cedric’s right wing cross picked out Mane just outside the six yard box and he headed downwards and past Guzan to secure a win that keeps the season alive.