‘Angry’ - Southampton boss reacts as ex-Newcastle United man involved in ‘game changing’ red card

As Newcastle United laboured to a 1-0 defeat against Brighton on Saturday afternoon, a much more dramatic story involving one of their former players was unfolding on the south coast. 

Southampton’s search for their first Premier League win of the season looked to be coming to an end when they took a 2-0 lead against fellow promoted side Leicester City. However, a dramatic late comeback by the Foxes, sparked by a red card for the hosts, earned Steve Cooper’s side all three points. 

The unfortunate recipient of that red card which flipped the game at St Mary’s on its head was former Magpie Ryan Fraser. Fraser left Newcastle United on deadline day in the summer, rejoining Southampton after a successful loan spell last season. 

However, Southampton’s struggles mean Fraser’s permanent stay as a Saints player has yet to hit the heights set by his loan spell last season, with his red card on Saturday the nadir of his struggling season. 

Fraser pulled down Jamie Vardy as the former England man bared down on goal with that foul enough to see him shown a straight red card. Vardy made no mistake from the resulting spot-kick to drag his side level before Jordan Ayew’s stoppage time winner secured a memorable comeback victory for the Foxes. 

Speaking about their defeat and the decision to show Fraser a red card, Saints boss Russell Martin said: “I’m just a bit angry we’ve lost the game. I'm angry that we were 2-0 up and lost 3-2.”

He continued: “The sending off has changed the game completely. But I trust it's the right decision from VAR and all that stuff, so I can't complain about the decision. But it's changed the game for us.

“I still don't think we were good enough for the last 15 minutes of the first half. For the first half an hour, I thought we were great; so good, looked really strong, really aggressive going forward, looked like we were going to create a lot. And then we got a grip of the game.

“They scored out of nowhere, really. I don't think they had any moments before that in the second half. And then Ryan gets sent off and it changes the game.”