Southampton secure Premier League safety with a 3-3 draw against Bournemouth

Saints guaranteed Premier League safety with a thrilling 3-3 draw against Bournemouth.

A see-saw match saw Saints twice lead only to concede an equaliser with four minutes remaining.

However, with Cardiff losing at Fulham the point was enough to make mathematically sure that Saints will be in the top flight against next season.

Saints started brightly in a 4-3-3 formation and caused Bournemouth problems immediately with a good sliding challenge from Chris Mepham blocking Nathan Redmond’s dangerous shot from well inside the area.

Saints had the strong wind behind them and it was proving tough to defend for the Cherries. A Saints corner caused havoc with Jan Bednarek’s shot eventually turned over his own bar by the outstretched leg of Jefferson Lerma.

It was one-way traffic early on and Redmond threatened again with Artur Boruc having to save with his legs after the attacker was played in behind by Danny Ings.

Eventually the pressure told as Shane Long opened the scoring on 12 minutes with his fourth goal in five games.

Jack Stephens chipped the ball forward to Redmond who held it up inside the area and squared to Long who produced a classy first-time side footed finish from the penalty spot into the bottom corner.

Redmond was on the rampage again six minutes later and opened up his body for a shot from 20 yards that went wide of the far post.

Bournemouth were getting battered and changed system to ditch their three centre halves and match up Saints to try and gain any kind of foothold in the game.

It paid off as they equalised with their first attack on 20 minutes.

As has so often been the way of late Saints conceded via a counter attack when they were pushing forward.

Josh King sprinted away and played it to Callum Wilson, who quickly squared to Dan Gosling. The Cherries man took the ball in his stride and drove a fierce low shot past Angus Gunn.

To allow for their formation change Eddie Howe made an early substitution with Ryan Fraser replacing Mepham.

Saints should have retaken the lead on 24 minutes.

They got a slice of fortune in the build-up as James Ward-Prowse was caught in possession by Lerma’s tackle which inadvertently found Long in the area.

Boruc saved the striker’s first effort with his legs but the ball rebounded to Long who just had to roll it into an empty net from inside the six-yard box but incredibly hit the post and the Cherries cleared.

Saints were made to pay as Bournemouth took the lead on 32 minutes.

They cleared a corner only as far as David Brooks who drilled in a low shot from 25 yards. Gunn got down to his right to save but could only push the ball in front of him where Wilson reacted quickest to finish.

Ralph Hasenhuttl made a half time change with Matt Targett replacing Oriol Romeu as Saints switched formation to play with a back five with Ryan Bertrand playing as the third centre half.

Bournemouth came close seven minutes after the restart as Jack Simpson headed a near post corner into the side netting.

But it was Saints who got the next goal on 55 minutes.

Ward-Prowse delivered it out of nothing as he was allowed time and space to fire in a left footed shot from 20 yards that beat Boruc far too easily and levelled things up at 2-2.

Ings had a chance three minutes later as Simpson’s header fell to him in the box. He tried his luck first time on the volley with the outside of his boot but couldn’t generate any power and Boruc made the save.

Saints were well on top and made it 3-2 on 67 minutes.

The wing backs combined with Yan Valery whipping in a hanging cross from the right that found Targett at the far post.

He produced a fantastic header that went back across goal to beat Boruc.

Saints looked to be heading towards three points with Bournemouth having barely threatened in the second period but conceded with four minutes remaining.

King broke forward and fed Fraser down the left. He brushed past Valery and played a dangerous low cross into the six yard box that was bundled home by Wilson.

Wilson had the chance too win it as he was played in one-on-one but Gunn came to the rescue to save with his legs and ensure that Saints had done enough to stay up.