Stoke vs Southampton match report: Charlie Adam pounces to dent Saints’ European hopes

Stoke 2 Southampton 1: Morgan Schneiderlin opened the scoring for Saints but Mame Biran Diouf equalised to set-up the stage for Adam's winner

Charlie Adam celebrates after scoring for Stoke (Getty Images)

Given the exodus of players last summer that had some pundits tipping them for relegation, Southampton will regard this as a successful season wherever they finish but, having jousted with the Champions League pretenders, it will be a disappointment should they miss out even on the Europa League.

Defeat at the Britannia leaves them to contemplate that possibility, after substitute Charlie Adam secured victory for Stoke with six minutes remaining. It leaves Southampton in sixth place and liable to be overtaken by Tottenham today, which would turn Mauricio Pochettino’s return to St Mary’s with his new team next weekend into potentially a season-defining fixture.

Manager Ronald Koeman has already conceded defeat in the race for a top-four finish, were it ever a possibility, which you sense he doubts.

“People ask me about the Champions League but the distance from fourth place is five points and it could be eight tomorrow, so the Europa League is our Champions League,” he said.

Southampton players celebrate after Morgan Schneiderlin scores the opener (Getty Images)

“It is difficult to beat the big ones in the Premier League with the players they can buy but we play good football, we have a chance to qualify for Europe and that will continue until the last game of the season.”

Morgan Schneiderlin gave Southampton the lead midway through the first half, but Stoke were full of resolve as Mark Hughes drives them towards a goal of exceeding last year’s tally of 50 points.

Mame Biram Diouf scores to pull Stoke level (Getty Images)

They should have equalised before half-time, Steven N’zonzi missing from a yard out, but they drew level two minutes into the second half, when Mame Biram Diouf pounced after a N’zonzi lob hit the bar.

Dusan Tadic had a shot cleared off the line for Southampton before Adam had the last word. After scoring from inside his own half against Chelsea, this time he accepted a chance from barely outside the six-yard box.

Line-ups:

Stoke City: (4-2-3-1) Begovic; Cameron, Shawcross, Wollscheid, Pieters; Nzonzi, Whelan (Sidwell, 75); Walters, Ireland (Adam, h-t), Arnautovic; Diouf (Crouch, 76).

Southampton: (4-2-3-1) K Davis; Clyne, Fonte, Yoshida, Bertrand; Schneiderlin, Alderweireld; S Davis, Mane, Tadic (Ward-Prowse, 67) Pelle.

Referee: Mark Clattenburg.

Man of the match: Adam (Stoke).

Match rating: 8/10.