NATHAN Redmond’s second-half winner gave Saints three priceless points as they came from two goals down to overcome Burnley 3-2.

The Clarets had raced into a 2-0 lead after 28 minutes at St Mary’s with Chris Wood and Matej Vydra finding the net, before Stuart Armstrong and Danny Ings levelled up the scores for Saints before the break.

And it was Redmond who made the difference on 66 minutes as he steered in from close range to net his fourth goal of the campaign – his third in two games.

Victory moves the St Mary’s side on to 36 points for the campaign.

Saints were boosted by the returns of Theo Walcott and Ings from injury, as Ralph Hasenhuttl made two changes from the side who beat Bournemouth in the FA Cup before the international break.

Moussa Djenepo and Che Adams were the pair to drop to the bench. Takumi Minamino was also back among the substitutes for the hosts after being cup-tied.

Burnley were unchanged from the side who overcame Everton 2-1 away from home in their last league fixture.

And it was the Clarets who almost made the breakthrough after just two minutes.

Vydra set Wood off on the counter-attack, with the New Zealander’s side-foot effort from the edge of the box was palmed away by Saints keeper Fraser Forster.

But Saints were powerless to prevent Sean Dyche’s side taking the lead on 12 minutes, from the penalty spot.

After Kyle Walker-Peters slid in on opposite full-back Erik Pieters inside the box, referee Andre Marriner initially waved play on.

But following a VAR check from official Jon Moss, Marriner was ordered to go to the pitch-side monitor and then took no time in then awarding a spot-kick. Up stepped Burnley striker Wood to smash home past Forster and give the visitors the upper hand.

Burnley then continued to get crosses into the box. Wood leapt with Forster, who managed to punch away but the towering goalkeeper was judged to have been fouled.

Saints then looked to threaten. Redmond latched on to Ryan Bertrand’s throw on the left and after turning away from his man, he worked Nick Pope on the angle with a low strike the England keeper was able to get down to.

But it was at the other end where Burnley added a second on 28 minutes. A long ball forward was flicked on by Wood for his strike partner Vydra, who make no mistake in drilling past Forster on the half-volley.

Hasenhuttl’s men then pulled one back with their next attack, however. Neat build-up on the left eventually allowed Ings to flick into the path of Armstrong.

His low drive caught out England keeper Pope, who was left wrong-footed as the hosts got off the mark for the afternoon. And the south coast side almost restored parity soon after.

Redmond’s fierce cutback looked to pick out the run of Walcott but Burnley full-back Charlie Taylor, who had replaced the injured Pieters, was on hand to clear.

Saints were to get their leveller on 41 minutes however, thanks to a moment of magic from Ings.

After running past Ben Mee to a ball down the channel, the England frontman’s clever turn put a sliding James Tarkowski on his backside before he coolly finished under Pope.

Saints almost had a third just after the hour mark. After Ward-Prowse was teed up on the edge of the box, his fizzing effort rattled the underside of the bar with Ings’s follow-up header cleared off the line.

Armstrong then let fly again, his deflected shot forced a sublime reaction save from Pope, who flew to his right to keep the ball out.

But the hosts were to complete their comeback as Redmond made it 3-2 on 66 minutes.

After Ings forced another diving stop from Pope on the edge of the box, Walcott’s precise cross found Redmond in space to smash in from an acute angle.

Forster then kept Saints ahead with a sublime reaction stop to deny Wood from close range with 10 minutes remaining.

Adams then had a glorious chance to win it after coming off the bench but fired wide when one-on-one. 

It was not to matter however, as Saints hung on to an important top-flight success. 

Saints: Forster, Walker-Peters, Bednarek, Vestergaard, Bertrand, Diallo, Ward-Prowse, Armstrong (Salisu, 79), Walcott (Djenepo, 87), Redmond, Ings (Adams, 86).

Unused subs: Stephens, Ferry, Jankewitz, Minamino, Tella, McCarthy (g/k).

Burnley: Pope, Lowton, Tarkowski, Mee, Pieters (Taylor, 33), Gudmundsson (Richardson, 90), Westwood, Brownhill, McNeil, Vydra (Rodriguez, 78), Wood.

Unused subs: Taylor, Cork, Stephens, Nartey, Dunne, Driscoll-Glennon, Peacock-Farrell (g/k).

Referee: Andre Marriner.

VAR: Jon Moss.