Cardiff City 0 Southampton 3

Malky Mackay had a stay of execution last weekend but he was a condemned man last night after his Cardiff team were outclassed at home by Southampton, who arrived with no wins and four defeats from their previous six games.

The Welsh club had identified it as a must-win fixture in their battle to stay clear of the relegation zone, but they leaked three goals in the first 27 minutes to leave their controversial owner, Vincent Tan, ready to call time on Mackay's two-and-a-half year reign as manager.

There were protests against Tan and in support of Mackay before and during the game, the fans giving voluble voice to their new anthem, Don't sack Mackay. After this dreadful result the Malaysian money man will be even more inclined to take it all with the proverbial pinch of salt. He left his seat five minutes from the end – to prepare Mackay's P45?

Cardiff ought to have taken the lead after 11 minutes, when Craig Noone's cross picked out Peter Whittingham who, five yards out, sidefooted his volley over the bar. His profligacy was punished five minutes later, Jay Rodriguez demonstrating the sidefoot finish in tucking away Adam Lallana's squared pass from the right at the far post.

In the 20th minute Rodriguez struck again, catching Kevin Theophile-Catherine napping as he stole in to dispatch Ricky Lambert’s cross from deep on the right.

Within another seven minutes Mackay appeared to be the proverbial dead man walking. Another lofted ball into the penalty area found the Cardiff defence wanting as a header from Rodriguez set up Lambert for a routine finish from six yards.

Now it was the Saints’ fans making themselves heard, cheering their team’s infinitely superior passing game.

Cardiff’s attempts to rescue a lost cause were undermined by their failure to retain possession for any length of time.

For the second half they sent on Andreas Cornelius, their Danish target man, in place of Peter Odemwingie and within five minutes of his introduction the substitute threatened with a glancing header from Whittingham's corner.

Cardiff huffed and puffed to no avail and were left with easily their worst result in the Premier League. If they were playing for their manager's future, you would hardly have guessed it. They had the look of a Championship team playing above their station.

Guardian Service