Southampton overcome Plymouth to consolidate third
Southampton extended their unbeaten run to 17 games as they overcame a dogged Plymouth side 2-1 at St Mary's.
Taylor Harwood-Bellis glanced a header off the Argyle post as the hosts dominated the first half but failed to breach the visitors' defence.
The game turned in a 35-second period 10 minutes after the break as Plymouth's Bali Mumba wrongly had a headed goal disallowed for offside. Saints went straight up the other end and Carlos Alcaraz brilliantly curled a 20-yard effort into the top corner.
Che Adams finished well to double the lead soon after before Ryan Hardie's stoppage-time goal set up a nervous finish.
The win - which moves Saints to within two games of equalling the club record of 19 consecutive matches unbeaten - ensures they will go into 2024 in third place in the Championship, while the Pilgrims remain seven points above the drop zone.
It was a first defeat in three games for Argyle's director of football Neil Dewsnip, who has been in temporary charge since Steven Schumacher left his role as manager to become Stoke City head coach 10 days ago.
Follow Friday's Championship actionLatest Championship tableSaints started strongly as Adams had a fifth-minute goal disallowed for offside while Adam Armstrong's bid to lob Conor Hazard from five yards inside the Argyle half went just over the bar as the Plymouth keeper scrambled back.
Alcaraz blasted a long-range effort just wide of the Argyle far post soon after as dominant Saints had 81% possession in the first 10 minutes before Harwood-Bellis hit the upright six minutes later from a corner.
Argyle began to frustrate their hosts as the half wore on, their disciplined defensive line catching Saints offside a number of times, but they had little to offer as striker Ben Waine cut an isolated figure.
The visitors finally got into the home penalty area after 41 minutes when Morgan Whittaker was found on the break, but Samuel Edozie did well to block his effort before Kyle Walker-Peters and Ryan Manning had shots saved by Hazard as the half drew to a close.
Alcaraz brought an excellent save out of Hazard six minutes after the break as he burst into the box and saw his goal-bound effort deflect off Lewis Gibson.
But the Argentine did not have to wait long to superbly put his side ahead, but not before Mumba's goal was wrongly adjudged offside as he headed in unmarked from Whittaker's cross at the back post, with replays showing Jan Bednarek had kept him onside.
There was no doubt about Saints' second goal as Harwood-Bellis chipped a ball over the defence and Adams timed his run perfectly, held off Gibson and finished well.
It could have been more for the hosts as substitute Joe Aribo curled a 20-yard effort just wide of the top corner, Armstrong had a shot well saved by Hazard and Sekou Mara had a close-range effort blocked by Dan Scarr.
Hardie replied for Argyle late on when Gavin Bazunu - who had had little to do in the Saints goal all night - badly controlled a backpass and the Scottish forward deflected the ball in from close range.
It could have been 3-1 moments later when Ryan Fraser was put through on goal, but Hazard saved well with his leg.
Southampton manager Russell Martin told BBC Radio Solent:
"I think the performance was brilliant. We should score a couple more goals I think, but we showed patience, aggression with the ball, created a lot, had 26 shots at home.
"So apart from the last six minutes I'm so happy with the performance. But I don't want that period to affect how I feel about what the players did for the rest of the game because some of it was really brilliant.
"We should have a clean sheet. I am annoyed and the players are, it was really flat in there, but I said to them 'you've just won another game'."
Plymouth director of football Neil Dewsnip told BBC Radio Devon:
"I think anybody who's watching at home will have seen it on TV, we saw the re-runs very, very quickly and it's really tough to take.
"Not just the fact that we've missed out on the goal, but the game restarts with three of our players who are celebrating the wrong side of the ball and our game plan was to defend deep and counter-attack and it's difficult to do that with three players less.
"It was competitive and structured and well thought out I thought, but the first goal kills us really. But I've got to say congratulations to Southampton, I thought they played exceedingly well. They're a real threat, particularly at home."
Formation 4-3-2-1
31Bazunu2Walker-Peters21Harwood-Bellis35Bednarek3ManningBooked at 44mins16SmallboneBooked at 40minsSubstituted forS Armstrongat 68'minutes24Charles22AlcarazBooked at 55minsSubstituted forAriboat 68'minutes9A ArmstrongSubstituted forStephensat 82'minutes23EdozieSubstituted forMaraat 75'minutes10AdamsSubstituted forFraserat 68'minutesSubstitutes5Stephens6Holgate7Aribo13Lumley17S Armstrong18Mara26Fraser27Amo-Ameyaw33DiblingFormation 5-4-1
21Hazard8EdwardsBooked at 57mins5PleguezueloSubstituted forScarrat 71'minutes17Gibson22Galloway2MumbaBooked at 13minsSubstituted forMillerat 65'minutes10Whittaker4HoughtonSubstituted forCundleat 66'minutes20Randell18AzazSubstituted forBunduat 78'minutes23WaineSubstituted forHardieat 45'minutesSubstitutes6Scarr7Butcher9Hardie11Wright14Miller15Bundu25Burton28Cundle29Kesler-HaydenReferee:James Linington
Attendance:30,559
Match ends, Southampton 2, Plymouth Argyle 1.
Second Half ends, Southampton 2, Plymouth Argyle 1.
Foul by Kyle Walker-Peters (Southampton).
Adam Randell (Plymouth Argyle) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Attempt missed. Morgan Whittaker (Plymouth Argyle) left footed shot from outside the box is high and wide to the left. Assisted by Ryan Hardie.
Attempt blocked. Sékou Mara (Southampton) right footed shot from outside the box is blocked. Assisted by Shea Charles.
Joe Aribo (Southampton) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Foul by Mustapha Bundu (Plymouth Argyle).
Attempt saved. Ryan Fraser (Southampton) right footed shot from the centre of the box is saved in the bottom right corner. Assisted by Kyle Walker-Peters.
Corner, Southampton. Conceded by Dan Scarr.
Attempt blocked. Ryan Fraser (Southampton) left footed shot from the left side of the box is blocked. Assisted by Stuart Armstrong.
Goal! Southampton 2, Plymouth Argyle 1. Ryan Hardie (Plymouth Argyle) left footed shot from the centre of the box to the bottom left corner.
Attempt missed. Morgan Whittaker (Plymouth Argyle) left footed shot from outside the box is high and wide to the left following a corner.
Corner, Plymouth Argyle. Conceded by Jack Stephens.
Attempt blocked. Shea Charles (Southampton) header from the centre of the box is blocked. Assisted by Ryan Manning with a cross.
Corner, Southampton. Conceded by Dan Scarr.
Attempt blocked. Sékou Mara (Southampton) left footed shot from the centre of the box is blocked. Assisted by Kyle Walker-Peters.
Offside, Southampton. Kyle Walker-Peters is caught offside.
Corner, Southampton. Conceded by Lewis Gibson.
Substitution, Southampton. Jack Stephens replaces Adam Armstrong.