Cian Ashford struck a 96th-minute winner for Cardiff as they put a huge dent in Southampton’s bid for automatic promotion with a 2-1 win at Cardiff City Stadium.
The Saints took an early lead through Joe Aribo and looked comfortable for much of the game before they were overhauled by a tremendous fightback from the Bluebirds.
Southampton came into the game on the back of picking up nine points from three games in a week.
They saw Leicester go top of the table with their 2-0 home win over West Brom prior to their kick-off and were chasing a fourth win in a row to go level on points with Leeds in third.
Saints boss Russell Martin saw his team get off to a flying start with a goal in the 12th minute.
Prior to that Stuart Armstrong’s shot across the home goal had hit the post, but there was no stopping Aribo’s shot as he gave the Saints the lead. Ethan Horvath had managed to keep out Adam Armstrong’s initial effort, but Aribo showed good composure to strike the rebound home.
If it had not have been for the heroics of American goalkeeper Horvath the game could have been out of sight by the break. His form, and the lack of finishing skills from Southampton’s players, meant there was still only a goal in it at half-time.
Two terrible back passes, firstly from Rubin Colwill and then from Ollie Tanner, put Horvath under huge pressure. He saw Adam Armstrong shoot over the top from the first and then watched in amazement and relief as David Brooks failed to beat him from point blank range with the second.
It ended up as 12 shots to four in favour of the visitors in the first half alone, with six of them on target.
The pressure continued after the break with shot after shot whistling past the home posts.
Just short of the hour mark Adam Armstrong had a diving header at the far post from a Che Adams cross superbly saved on the line by Horvath as Cardiff once again rode their luck.
With the score still delicately poised going into the final quarter Southampton were in danger of getting caught out due to their failure to finish their chances and so it proved in the 68th minute when a neat raid down the right flank saw 21-year-old substitute wing back Raheem Conte make a name for himself on his debut.
He raced to the byline, crossed into the danger zone and Famara Diedhiou side-footed home the equaliser.
What had been a stroll in the park for much of the game suddenly turned into a dog fight for the Saints in their battle for automatic promotion.
Alex McCarthy was then forced to tip over a a vicious shot from the right by Yakou Mete to keep the scores level and Cardiff became bolder and bolder as they pushed forward looking for a second.
It almost came from Diedhiou early on in the nine minutes of added time when he headed down from a Joe Ralls free kick on the right to force McCarthy into another important save.
Then came Ashford’s pile-driver from 25 yards that was helped on its way with a deflection past McCarthy.
Celtic 3-0 Hearts: Kyogo sends hosts six points clear of Rangers
Kyogo Furuhashi scored twice in the first half as Celtic defeated Hearts 3-0 on Saturday to move six points clear of rivals Rangers in the Scottish Premiership title race.
Rangers host Kilmarnock on Sunday for their game in hand, but Celtic, who also have a better goal difference, remain in control of the title race as things stand.
Celtic will then host Rangers in next week's pivotal Old Firm derby.
Lawrence Shankland almost gave Hearts a dream start when his effort deflected just wide in the opening minute, but from that point on, despite some strong spells of play in the opening half, they never looked likely to record what would have been their third consecutive win over Celtic.
Kyogo had Celtic two goals up inside 21 minutes in a hammer blow to Hearts, who are all but certain to finish in third place this season.
A Matt O'Riley penalty three minutes from time ended any faint hopes of a Hearts comeback, sealing a result that puts further pressure on Rangers.
Data Debrief: O'Riley key to Celtic success
Kyogo's early header was set up by Reo Hatate, while it was O'Riley who set up the second goal with a superb pass that the Japan international met with a first-time finish.
O'Riley, who later added his penalty, now has 14 goals and 12 assists in the Premiership this season. His goal tally is the highest of any Celtic player, while the creative total is the best in the whole league.
Sheffield United 1-3 Nottingham Forest: Hudson-Odoi hands visitors huge survival boost
Callum Hudson-Odoi scored twice as Nottingham Forest climbed further clear of the relegation zone with a 3-1 away victory over Sheffield United.
Chris Wilder’s men took the lead through a Ben Brereton-Diaz spot kick, but the visitors roared back to score three goals without reply.
Hudson-Odoi sealed an impressive brace just after the hour mark, after Ryan Yates had put the visitors in front.
Forest remain in 17th, but this win takes them three points clear of Luton Town in 18th and the other side who can catch them, Burnley, were well beaten by Newcastle United. The already-relegated Blades, who were reduced to 10 men late on, remain rock bottom.
Chris Wood was unable to cap an excellent start for Forest. With just over a minute gone, the Kiwi missed a superb early chance, side-footing his volley wide of the far post after Morgan Gibbs-White had made a great break down the right.
In a frenetic early period, Sheffield United’s Brereton-Diaz won a penalty, with Gonzalo Montiel punished for a lazy challenge in the box. The Chilean international dusted himself down and slammed home his sixth goal of the season.
Forest absorbed further pressure when Murillo slid Cameron Archer’s attempt away bravely in the 19th minute. After holding firm, Forest then levelled emphatically in the 27th minute. Danilo linked up with Hudson-Odoi and the wideman did the rest. Cutting inside from the left with a fine first touch, the former Chelsea man left Jayden Bogle in his wake and found the top-right corner with a powerful, curled effort.
United responded well, and the half closed in a chaotic spell as they laid siege to the visitors’ goal. Murillo was forced to make two fine blocks, before goalkeeper Matz Sels stepped up to produce two excellent saves.
At the other end, Wood had a great chance to put Forest ahead late in the half, but he could only direct his header onto the bar.
Forest came out swinging in the second half and took little time to take the lead. Captain Yates was the scorer, volleying home after Willy Boly had nodded the ball down to him from an Anthony Elanga cross.
The Blades continued to show fight as Brereton-Diaz forced a fine stop out of Sels, but the knockout blow felt inevitable. Again drifting in off the left, Hudson-Odoi danced across the box before finding the bottom corner with ease to add Forest’s third.
Forest continued to search for goals as Danilo fired over in the 73rd minute, and Wood forced a fine save from Wes Foderingham following a Gibbs-White free-kick five minutes later. The Blades held it to three in the end, but that will be of little consolation to Chris Wilder and his side, and particularly Anel Ahmedhodzic, who was sent off in the final moments.
Blades making unwanted Premier League records
The second of Hudson-Odoi’s strikes brought up a century of goals conceded for Sheffield United.
The Blades are the first side to concede 100 goals in a 38-game English top-flight campaign since Leicester City in 1908-09 (102), while they have matched Swindon Town’s unwanted record in the 1993-94 Premier League (also 100 goals conceded).
Hudson-Odoi key to Forest survival hopes
Hudson-Odoi got both his sixth and seventh goals in the Premier League this season, and they could prove crucial to Forest's short-term future.
With two games remaining, at home against Chelsea and away at Burnley, plus the possibility of points coming back from their PSR appeal in the coming days, Forest might just be on the brink of sealing a third straight season in the top tier.
Sheffield United 1-3 Nottingham Forest: Hudson-Odoi gives visitors huge survival boost
Callum Hudson-Odoi scored twice as Nottingham Forest climbed further clear of the relegation zone with a 3-1 away victory over Sheffield United.
Chris Wilder’s men took the lead through a Ben Brereton-Diaz spot kick, but the visitors roared back to score three goals without reply.
Hudson-Odoi sealed an impressive brace just after the hour mark, after Ryan Yates had put them in front.
Forest remain in 17th, but this win takes them three points clear of Luton Town in 18th and the other side who can catch them, Burnley, were well beaten by Newcastle. Already relegated Sheffield United remain rock bottom.
Chris Wood was unable to cap an excellent start for Forest. With just over a minute gone, the Kiwi missed a superb early chance, side-footing his volley wide of the far post after Morgan Gibbs-White had made a great break down the right.
In a frenetic early period, Sheffield United’s Brereton-Diaz won a penalty, with Gonzalo Montiel punished for a lazy challenge in the box. The Chilean international dusted himself down and slammed home his sixth goal of the season.
Forest absorbed further pressure when Murillo slid Cameron Archer’s attempt away bravely in the 19th minute. After holding firm, Forest then levelled emphatically in the 27th minute. Danilo linked up with Hudson-Odoi and the wide man did the rest. Cutting inside from the left with a fine first touch, the former Chelsea man left Jayden Bogle in his wake and found the top-right corner with a powerful, curled effort.
United responded well, and the half closed in a chaotic spell as they laid siege to the visitors’ goal. Murillo was forced to make two fine blocks, before goalkeeper Matz Sels stepped up to produce two excellent saves.
The first came in the 37th minute when he rushed off his line to smother a shot from Archer. Then, just a minute later, the Belgian tipped over smartly from a fierce Gustavo Hamer strike.
At the other end, Wood had a great chance to put Forest ahead late in the half, but he could only direct his header onto the bar.
Forest came out swinging in the second half and took little time to take the lead. Captain Yates was the scorer, volleying home after Willy Boly had nodded the ball down to him from an Anthony Elanga cross.
The Blades continued to show fight as Brereton-Diaz forced a fine stop out of Sels, but the knockout blow felt inevitable. Again drifting in off the left, Hudson-Odoi danced across the box before finding the bottom corner with ease to add Forest’s third.
Forest continued to search for goals as Danilo fired over in the 73rd minute, and Wood forced a fine save from Wes Foderingham following a Gibbs-White free-kick five minutes later. The Blades held it to three in the end, but that will be of little consolation to Chris Wilder and his side and particularly Anel Ahmedhodzic, who was sent off in the final moments.
Blades making unwanted Premier League records
The second of Hudson-Odoi’s strikes brought up a century of goals conceded for Sheffield United.
The Blades are the first side to concede 100 goals in a 38-game English top-flight campaign since Leicester City in 1908-09 (102), while they’ve matched Swindon Town’s unwanted record in the 1993-94 Premier League (also 100 goals conceded).
Hudson-Odoi key to Forest survival hopes
Hudson-Odoi got both his sixth and seventh goals in the Premier League this season in this victory over Sheffield United.
His goals meant Nottingham Forest scored three goals in a game for the first time since a 3-1 win over Fulham at the start of April.
Hudson-Odoi’s efforts will be integral as Forest look seal a third consecutive season in the Premier League.
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