Southampton secured their place in the Premier League with a 1-0 win over Leeds United in the Championship play-off final.
Southampton boss Russell Martin masterminded a third win from three against Leeds this season, with the 38-year-old set to manage in the top flight for the first time in his short career.
Adam Armstrong broke the deadlock in the first-half as he beat the Leeds offside trap to slot past the onrushing Islian Meslier following a Will Smallbone through ball.
Southampton defended excellently to deny Leeds any real chances in the fixture that is generally considered the most financially rewarding fixture in club football to protect their solitary goal.
A moment of brilliance from Dan James very nearly saw Leeds level late on but it crashed off the underside of the crossbar much to Southampton’s relief.
Martin has really earn his managerial stripes in recent weeks, showing a tactical flexibility that many had cited as his biggest weakness to find ways to overcome both West Brom and then Leeds.
Southampton player ratings against Leeds
Here is how we rated the individual performances of the Southampton players in an incredible day at Wembley.
Alex McCarthy – 7
Has had a really calming air about him since coming in for Gavin Bazunu and was the same at Wembley in what was likely his last game for the club.
Untroubled in the first-half as Leeds’ only shot on target was a tame effort from Willy Gnonto. Was beaten by James’ strike but was saved by his crossbar in the only moment of concern.
Kyle Walker-Peters – 10
Walker-Peters against Crysencio Summerville was always going to be one of the key battles in this game and so it proved.
For the third time this season, Walker-Peters got the better of the Dutch winger who cut a frustrated figure and was substituted early despite being the Championship Player of the Season.
Southampton’s promotion now means the 27-year-old does not have to leave the club for the sake of his career and he looks to be loving his football under Martin.
Incredible display from a man determined to take his side to the Premier League.
Taylor Harwood-Bellis – 8
Incredible piece of defending to deny what looked a certain goal from Joe Rodon with a last-ditch challenge. Looked determined to earn promotion and with it a permanent Southampton contract.
Hesitated slightly with a challenge on the edge of the box when he seemed to have anticipated and took a yellow when really it should have been a relatively simple tackle.
Jan Bednarek – 8
Had to walk a bit of a tightrope after a first-half booking for bringing down Georginio Rutter after the Dutchman had beat him with good footwork.
His experience was crucial to helping Southampton ride out Leeds pressure at the start of the second-half in particular.
Jack Stephens – 8
Again took up the hybrid left-back/left centre-back position that he has made his own in recent weeks which gives Southampton the flexibility to switch between a back three and four throughout the game.
Deserved to captain the side to a Wembley triumph after over a decade at the club and his leadership has been key in the last few weeks.
Flynn Downes – 8
Martin has labelled Downes the ‘best in the league’ and he again showed why as he put in a monstrous defensive display whilst settling Southampton down when they did have the ball.
Priority number one this summer is securing the permanent signing of the midfielder.
Will Smallbone – 9
The Southampton academy graduate has really stepped up when it has mattered in the play-offs.
After firing his side ahead in the play-off semi-final, Smallbone threaded the ball through to Armstrong for the Southampton opener. Has got better without the ball as the season has gone on and his new-found aggressiveness makes him a very well-rounded midfielder.
Joe Aribo – 7
After his Southampton career looked set to fizzle out as he could not get in the side in the first half of the season, Aribo became crucial to Southampton from December onwards and was again important at Wembley.
In the first-half he took up some great positions in between Leeds’ midfield in defence and neither knew who should pick him up. His running from midfield to join the attack has become a feature of Southampton’s play and he dug in second-half to defend well.
David Brooks – 6
Distraught to have to go off early after a heavy collision left him unable to move his left arm. Desperately wanted to carry on which is testament to the player who will perhaps hope this wasn’t his last game in a Southampton shirt.
Had started well but was replaced by Samuel Edozie on 35 minutes.
Adam Armstrong – 8
Scored his 24th goals of the season with a clinical strike into the far corner and was denied a second by a decent Meslier save after a bright run to receive a quickly-taken free-kick in the first-half.
Having struggled in the Premier League, Armstrong has been Southampton’s talisman this season. Worked incredibly hard for his team out of possession too, with little joy as his side defended for much of the second 45 minutes.
Ryan Fraser – 8
A really mature performance from Fraser in a display that was more about his defensive work than what he did going forward as he effectively played as a left wing-back.
He and Stephens doubled up really well defensively on Gnonto and then Dan James, with Fraser in particular putting in a heroic shift up and down the left flank.
Substitutes:
Samuel Edozie – 7
The player chosen by Martin to replace the injured Brooks in the first half.
Did well to get immediately up to speed in a hotly contested game and was bright in the first-half. Had a great chance in the second-half but did not look confident that he was going to score and so it proved.
Che Adams – 6
Ryan Manning – N/A.