SAMUEL Edozie, Stuart Armstrong, Sekou Mara, and Charly Alcaraz scored as Saints beat Blackburn Rovers 4-0 in the Championship at St Mary's.

Edozie opened the scoring in the 44th minute when he stroked in from close range and Armstrong made it two in the second half.

Mara added a third deep into stoppage time when Ryan Fraser picked out the French forward, while Alcaraz still had time to score a fourth late on.

Callum Brittain was also sent off for two bookable offences which was a big moment in the match.

The result means Saints remain in fourth place in the division but have gained ground on Ipswich Town and Leeds United who both dropped points.

Russell Martin made three changes to the side which drew 1-1 with Coventry City on Wednesday with James Bree, Flynn Downes, and Edozie all coming in.

Bree, who had come into the side for Ryan Manning, started the game at right back with Kyle Walker-Peters switching over to the left back position in an early surprise to the Saints shape.

Saints started the game on the front foot and went close in the opening five minutes when Armstrong found space in the penalty area before curling wide.

Edozie, who scored the equaliser against Coventry City in midweek, was looking threatening on the left and his cross found Bree, but the defender could not control his effort.

They did take the lead in the 44th minute when Bree's corner was turned in by Edozie, who was standing right in front of Blackburn's goalkeeper.

The goal was perhaps deserved for the mounting pressure Saints had put on the visitors goal in the latter stages of the first half.

Martin's side started the second half in much the same vein as only a great save from Leopold Wahlstedt denied S Armstrong from curling a shot into the top right corner.

Blackburn's task was made even harder in the 55th minute as Brittain was shown a second yellow card for kicking the ball away.

It was soon 2-0 to Saints when Downes drove into the box before being tackled, but Armstrong strode onto the loose ball and slotted it into the bottom corner.

That led to a Southampton triple substitution with Fraser, Shea Charles and Jack Stephens coming on, with the club captain making his long-awaited return from injury.

The home side were looking to make their extra man advantage count and they almost had a third when Alcaraz slid the ball through to Mara but he was denied by Wahlstedt.

The Frenchman was involved again soon after when he twisted inside the Blackburn penalty area and was brought down by Hayden Carter.

Alcaraz took the responsibility from the spot but he chipped his effort over the bar, much to the frustration of Martin.

Saints were not finished yet as Mara scored a third when he got on the end of Fraser's cross and Alcaraz made up for his missed penalty with an even later fourth goal.

The Argentine pounced when Smallbone cracked a shot from the edge of the box, which Wahlstedt could only push out to Alcaraz.

Saints travel to Queens Park Rangers in their final game before Christmas next Saturday.

Saints: Bazunu; Bree, Harwood-Bellis (Stephens, 66), Bednarek, Walker-Peters; Downes (Charles, 66), Smallbone, S Armstrong (Alcaraz, 76); Aribo, Edozie (Fraser, 65), A Armstrong (Mara, 76)

Unused Subs: Lumley, Manning, Holgate, Adams

Booked: Downes, Smallbone, Aribo

Blackburn Rovers: Wahlstedt; Hill, Carter, S Wharton, Pickering; Tronstad (Leonard, 58), A Wharton (Travis, 70); Moran (Garrett, 58), Szmodics, Brittain; Sigurdsson

Unused Subs: Hyam, Ennis, Gamble, Markanday, Gilsenan, Hilton

Booked: Szmodics

Sent off: Brittain

Referee: Graham Scott

Attendance: 27,646

Goals: Edozie 44'

S Armstrong 64'

Mara 97' 

Alcaraz 99'