Saints didn’t get the Wembley send-off they were hoping for as they lost a sixth Premier League game in seven with a 3-1 defeat to West Ham at St Mary’s.

In what was the club’s last home match before the EFL Cup final, they looked set for a good afternoon as deadline day signing Manolo Gabbiadini had a dramatic impact scoring 12 minutes into his debut.

But from there Saints slumped, conceding goals to Andy Carroll, Pedro Obiang and Mark Noble as their terrible league form continued.

If it was something of a surprise that Claude Puel named Gabbiadini in his starting line-up, it was interesting that he played the Italian as a central striker with Jay Rodriguez in a deeper role to the left.

It was a fairly open start to the game but it was Saints who were the first to get a shot on target, James Ward-Prowse half volleying from just outside the area straight at Darren Randolph.

Andy Carroll appealed for a penalty as he went down in the area after what he thought was a block by Ryan Bertrand but it was a very optimistic shout and referee Graham Scott was having none of it.

It was a crucial decision as just moments later Gabbiadini announced his arrival in some style as he thrashed home a dramatic goal to give Saints the lead on 12 minutes.

Rodriguez played a ball over the top and into the path of Gabbiadini, with West Ham unsuccessfully claiming he was offside.

The Italian took a couple of touches to bring it under control and line up an unstoppable left footed shot that flew past Randolph at the near post before he could even react and went in off the underside of the bar.

However, the lead lasted just two minutes before West Ham equalised.

It was poor defending from Saints as they opened up in the heart of defence with a slipped ball from Pedro Obiang, under little pressure, dissecting Maya Yoshida and Jack Stephens and allowing Carroll the chance to measure a low finish past Fraser Forster for 1-1.

The game settled down a little after the early flurry and it took until 29 minutes for the next chance as Aaron Cresswell hit a technically tricky volley that found the target but Forster got his body behind it.

It was an entertaining enough game with both teams looking decidedly uncertain at the back but both willing to commit men forward and attack.

Gabbiadini tried to glance a header in from Cedric Soares’ right wing cross from a difficult spot just inside the area three minutes before half time but guided it off target.

But it was the Hammers who were to go in ahead at the break as they scored a minute later.

Robert Snodgrass hit an outswinging left wing corner that was cleared from the area but with Saints having everybody in the box Obiang was able to pick it up and line up a right footed shot.

He drilled it in hard and low from 20 yards, the ball went through a crowd of players which possibly unsighted Forster who just got fingertips to it diving to his right but couldn’t keep it out.

Ward-Prowse threatened in stoppage time but his low drive was stopped by a save from Randolph.

Puel made a change at the break with Nathan Redmond replacing Rodriguez.

Ward-Prowse started the second half as he ended the first, testing Randolph, this time with a sneaky free kick that the keeper keep out at his near post.

Despite a bright start to the second period, Saints fell further behind on 52 minutes.

West Ham won a free kick on the left side of the area and Mark Noble whipped in a hard to handle fierce free kick.

Steven Davis got there first at the near post but only made a slight contact with the ball, which was enough to divert it into the far corner.

West Ham made a surprise change in attack with Manuel Lanzini coming on for Carroll.

Sofiane Feghouli was complaining to Scott after being floored by the elbow of Bertrand but the referee didn’t see anything wrong with it.

Gabbiadini should have pulled one back on the hour mark with a chance far easier than the one he converted early in the game as Cheikou Kouyate’s awful defensive header presented the striker with the ball eight yards out, but he sliced over.

There was an injury blow for Saints as Sofiane Boufal had to be helped limping from the field after appearing to damage his right ankle in an innocuous looking challenge with Mark Noble with Shane Long coming on to replace him.

Ward-Prowse tested Randolph yet again, this time heading goalwards from ten yards out, but it was a relatively comfortable task for the keeper to turn over the bar.

West Ham brought on James Collins for Kouyate on 71 minutes as they tried to ensure they went home with the three points.

Long tried to find the goal to bring Saints back into it as he cut in from the right and hit a shot but it went wide of the far post.

Davis was the next to fire in from distance but Randolph was equal to it diving to his right.

Yoshida tried to produce a spectacular acrobatic volley at the far post after Redmond stood up a cross from the left but it went well over.

Davis got a break in the dying minutes and hit a low shot from the edge of the area, but again it was pretty easy for Randolph.

West Ham were winning the game at a canter and made a late change to try and run down the clock a little more with Jonathan Calleri coming on for Feghouli.

At the final whistle Saints and Puel were left to reflect on another league defeat and with just Sunderland away to come to try and get some momentum before the big final.

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