Southampton secured a commanding 4-1 victory over Millwall at St Mary’s Stadium, marking a significant turnaround for the club following a difficult start to the campaign. Canada international Cyle Larin scored twice to help lift the Saints from the bottom of the table, moving them onto two points after starting the season with a four-point deduction linked to the Spygate scandal that excluded them from last season’s play-offs.
Finn Azaz and Tom Fellows each added a goal, while a penalty converted by Leo Scienza contributed to the comfortable margin. Larin’s latest goals brought his season tally to five, underscoring his pivotal role in Southampton’s resurgence. Reflecting on the result, Larin acknowledged the challenges the club faced due to the initial points penalty but expressed optimism about the team’s progress.
“Beginning the season on minus points was difficult for the guys, it’s always in your head but now we have to keep on pushing to get better,” Larin said. “We’re making steps each game and we saw today where we want to be and we want to keep progressing. We know the quality we have so we’re going to have to put a lot more out there in games and you saw that. It’s great to be contributing with goals. The club has given me that trust to come in and play with freedom. I’m feeling good and everything is coming naturally and instinctively. It’s easier when you’re full of confidence and the team is playing well.”
Millwall opened the scoring through a deflected shot by Republic of Ireland midfielder Mark Sykes, but that initial advantage was short-lived as Southampton responded decisively. Sykes expressed frustration at the outcome and the manner of the defeat. “We didn’t expect that to happen to us and we’re massively disappointed,” he said. “We can’t lose games in this manner and it’s important that it hurts us for a few days – but we can’t dwell on it for too long. We need to knuckle down and go again for the next game and hopefully put a few smiles on faces again.”
Southampton’s win comes as a morale boost amid a challenging start to the season, allowing them to move away from the relegation zone and build momentum ahead of their upcoming fixtures. Meanwhile, Millwall face the task of regrouping quickly after what was described as a devastating result on the road.