The Saints approached the contest having lost four games on the spin but Russell Martin’s side made a strong start and took just two minutes to open the scoring through Adam Armstrong. Kyle Walker-Peters advanced down the right and played a through ball between Liam Cooper and Sam Byram for Armstrong who advanced on Illan Meslier before producing a neat dinked finish from a tight angle.
Southampton then doubled their lead just after the half hour mark through Will Smallbone who prodded home a clinical finish following a cutback from Kamaldeen Sulemana who got in behind Jamie Shackleton down the left flank.
As part of a dreadful first half, things then got a whole lot worse just four minutes later when the Saints bagged a third as an Armstrong strike took a nick off Pascal Struijk for a Whites own goal. Armstrong was picked out by a crossfield pass into the box from Sulemana and the Saints attacker turned Byram inside out before unleashing a low drive which deflected off Struijk into the back of the net.
Leeds finally pulled a goal back in the 58th minute via a neat turn and finish from Struijk at a corner but the damage had been done as Daniel Farke’s side fell to a second Championship defeat.
Graham Smyth, the YEP’s chief football writer, hands out the scores from a day to forget at St Mary’s.
![6 - Will be disappointed to have been dinked from the angle for the first but was let down by his defence for all three.](https://www.yorkshireeveningpost.co.uk/webimg/b25lY21zOmE1NWI1MWYwLWZjOWUtNDIwNy04YjEwLTQ4NjM3ODZmYmRmZTo2NDQ1Y2IyYy0wZjA2LTQwMTItOWE0NC1lZTc1ZGMzMWE5MDU=.jpg?crop=3:2&width=800)
1. Illan Meslier
6 - Will be disappointed to have been dinked from the angle for the first but was let down by his defence for all three. Photo: George Tewkesbury
![3 - Given a difficult time by Kamaldeen. Couldn't get much going on his flank. Throw-ins were sloppy.](https://www.yorkshireeveningpost.co.uk/webimg/b25lY21zOmU2NzY5MmI0LWJhMTAtNDE2Zi05OTA3LTMxNWIzZWE3N2IyMjplM2QxMmE2MC02OTQ4LTRhMTQtOGQ2My0xYTVmYjVkNjUzMzU=.jpg?crop=3:2&width=800)
2. Jamie Shackleton
3 - Given a difficult time by Kamaldeen. Couldn't get much going on his flank. Throw-ins were sloppy. Photo: Jess Hornby
![3 - Got caught out for the first and then struggled to make amends. Dived in and didn't always get the ball. Shaky performance.](https://www.yorkshireeveningpost.co.uk/webimg/b25lY21zOjkyN2EzNWRiLTA1YzQtNDI4Ni05NDcyLTE1YTcwMzQyNTI1NTo0ZmY2MWE4My1iNzgxLTQ1ZGYtYTQ4NC1hMDRhNjcxNTA5NWY=.jpg?crop=3:2&width=800)
3. Liam Cooper
3 - Got caught out for the first and then struggled to make amends. Dived in and didn't always get the ball. Shaky performance. Photo: George Tewkesbury
![6 - Stepped up in the second half, won the ball, added physicality and scored a good goal.](https://www.yorkshireeveningpost.co.uk/webimg/b25lY21zOjA3ZjBmMjNmLTRlODktNGMxYi1hYTc3LWZhMzJjMTk4MmUzMDplM2RhMGRjYi0xMmViLTRmNDEtOWI2Ny1mMWIxYjFmMGU3MGM=.jpg?crop=3:2&width=800)
4. Pascal Struijk
6 - Stepped up in the second half, won the ball, added physicality and scored a good goal. Photo: George Tewkesbury
![4 - Wasn't good in the first half. Tried to get forward at times but couldn't produce much. Touch abandoned him at times.](https://www.yorkshireeveningpost.co.uk/webimg/b25lY21zOjk0YzhmOGJmLTc3NWYtNGM0MS05Y2I4LTRiYjcwYTE5MTY1MzpmOWI0M2UxOC0wZmQ0LTRiYzQtOTc4MC02ZWIzYzM3MDA4ZjA=.jpg?crop=3:2&width=800)
5. Sam Byram
4 - Wasn't good in the first half. Tried to get forward at times but couldn't produce much. Touch abandoned him at times. Photo: George Tewkesbury
![6 - Not quite at his usual standard. Some good moments but didn't have the midfield under control, first half especially.](https://www.yorkshireeveningpost.co.uk/webimg/b25lY21zOjM1NjlhNDczLWM3ODYtNDFkOC1hYmUyLTE4N2E3N2ZhZjhkYTo1ZmVlNWE2Yy04NDZmLTQ3NzgtYTU1Yi1kMTBiYzU4MmNiZDY=.jpg?crop=3:2&width=800)
6. Ethan Ampadu
6 - Not quite at his usual standard. Some good moments but didn't have the midfield under control, first half especially. Photo: Alex Caparros