Despite being the better side for the majority of the encounter, Southampton succumbed to a heartbreaking defeat in the final minute against Ipswich Town on Monday evening.
Having gone behind early on, Southampton flipped the game on its head with goals from Che Adams and Adam Armstrong in the first-half.
However, it was a familiar tale for Russell Martin‘s side, as they failed to make their dominance pay before a 97th minute Jeremy Sarmiento goal secured a 3-2 win for Ipswich in a massive game in the Championship automatic promotion race.
The impetus was very much on Southampton to win the game given they started the day ten points behind their opponents, however an 84th minute red card meant it was instead a case of trying to hang on for the draw.
These efforts were without reward, though, due to Sarmiento’s unorthodox stab at goal that nestled in Gavin Bazunu‘s far corner, breaking Southampton hearts in the process.
James Bree struggled against Ipswich
Martin made a huge decision in selecting his starting line-up, with Jan Bednarek coming into the side to replace Kyle Walker-Peters.
Bednarek usually partners Taylor Harwood-Bellis in the centre of the Southampton back four, but did not play in the 1-1 draw with Middlesbrough on Good Friday having sustained a knock whilst on international duty with Poland.
In the ‘Boro game, Jack Stephens partnered Harwood-Bellis at centre-back, with Walker-Peters at right-back and James Bree preferred to Ryan Manning at left-back. However, in the biggest game of Southampton’s season so far away at league leaders Ipswich, Martin decided to drop arguably their player of the season to the bench in Walker-Peters.
This meant that Bree played right-back at Portman Road, with Stephens playing as an auxiliary left-back who stepped into midfield in possession and Harwood-Bellis and Bednarek reprising their central positions.
Tactically, this worked well and allowed Southampton to control the game through condensing central areas and fluidity in the midfield, but Bree’s momentary lapse in concentration allowed Ipswich’s Leif Davis to get in behind in the 84th minute. Bree brought the Ipswich man down on the edge of the area, with the result a straight red card for the defender who was adjudged to have been the last man.
With this, Southampton’s hopes of a late charge died and so too did their automatic promotion dreams.
Russell Martin got it wrong starting Bree over Kyle Walker-Peters
It is reasonable to assume that Walker-Peters did not start against Ipswich due to the fact he has just returned from injury and the Easter weekend meant Southampton had two fixtures in four days.
When questioned on whether this was the reason for the 26-year-old’s absence, though, Martin denied this and instead insisted the decision was a tactical one as he said: “James Bree deserved to play. Nobody is guaranteed a start in the team. The guys on the pitch did fantastic.”
Whilst it is not a surprise to see Martin stand by his decision and back the player he brought in, it does seem somewhat bizarre to leave such a key player out in a game of this magnitude, particularly when you consider Walker-Peters had played every league minute until the injury he sustained in the FA Cup fifth round defeat to Liverpool in February.
The former Tottenham Hotspur defender was linked with a move to Chelsea in January and perhaps the only argument for him not playing against Ipswich was that Martin wanted his side to have a more solid look about them defensively. Given Southampton conceded three goals and Bree was sent off, as well as giving Davis too much space to strike for Ipswich’s first goal, the decision did not pay dividends.
Southampton had their chances, with 17 shots and six of those on target, but Walker-Peters’ quality may well have told win the final third as it so often has done this season.
Whilst he may not admit it, Martin will likely be rueing his decision to drop Walker-Peters for this must-win game.