Report: Saints beaten at Brentford

Two goals from Bryan Mbeumo and another from Yoane Wissa were the difference at the Gtech Community Stadium, with Yuki Sugawara adding a late consolation, as Saints’ tough start to life back in the Premier League continued.

Russell Martin made only one change for the game, as new signing Aaron Ramsdale came straight into the side following his move from Arsenal 24 hours earlier, with Alex McCarthy named among the substitutes.

Aaron Ramsdale's shirt in the away dressing room at Brentford (Photo: Matt Watson)

Fellow deadline day arrivals Ryan Fraser and Maxwel Cornet were not registered in time to feature, but Adam Lallana was handed a place on the bench for the first time in the Premier League this season.

Little more than 60 seconds were on the clock when Ramsdale was called into action and he was very much up to the task, making a big stop to keep the scores level. Mbeumo had got into the corner of the area and fired an angled ball towards the middle, which picked out the run of Mikkel Damsgaard, who took a touch to open up space six yards out, but Ramsdale sprawled in front of him to block the effort before the ball was cleared to safety.

Aaron Ramsdale makes a big early save (Photo: Matthew Lewis, Getty Images)

With that scare behind them, Saints then got on the front foot and began to pose a real threat to Brentford.

First, on six minutes, Taylor Harwood-Bellis played a stunning pass to send Kyle Walker-Peters racing into the right side of the area, but his shot was turned behind at the near post by keeper Mark Flekken.

Then, a minute later, Sugawara’s wicked corner was met by the back of Joe Aribo's head at the near post, only for the ball to loop across goal and hit the bar, while Adam Armstrong fired a shot over from 18 yards after being picked out by a clever Walker-Peters pass.

Brentford did create an opening on 24 minutes, when Kristoffer Ajer’s low ball was diverted into the path of Wissa in a great position, but Ramsdale was immediately off his line to meet him and the Brentford player could only lift it over the Saints keeper towards the edge of the six-yard box, where it was cleared.

Wissa then tested Ramsdale shortly after with a stinging shot from 20 yards, but again Saints’ new signing was equal to it, holding onto the effort well.

Martin’s side had a decent chance on 38 minutes, as Will Smallbone’s corner was met by Jack Stephens in a central position, but his header went just over.

It was a delicately balanced game, but it swung Brentford’s way two minutes before half time, as they made the breakthrough.

Harwood-Bellis, who had moments earlier made a fantastic interception to prevent what looked like it would have been a sure goal, had the ball swiped off him 30 yards out, with Kevin Schade racing into the area and sending a low shot against the base of the near post. Unfortunately for Saints, the rebound across goal fell straight into the path of Mbeumo, who side-footed home.

Yuki Sugawara delivers a ball during the first half (Photo: Matt Watson)

They set straight about looking for an equaliser, as Sugawara had a shot from 20 yards saved, before Armstrong missed a fantastic opportunity in added time, as Sugawara’s cross found him six yards out, but he failed to make a proper connection as he attempted to turn the ball home.

It meant Saints trailed by a goal as they went into the break, with Martin making a pair of changes ahead of the second half, as Mateus Fernandes and Cameron Archer came on for Smallbone and Armstrong.

Brentford had the first big effort on goal after play resumed, as a cross from the right picked out Schade in the middle, but he headed it straight at Ramsdale.

Martin then made another change, with Tyler Dibling introduced for Harwood-Bellis ten minutes into the second half, resulting in Saints switching to a back four.

But it was the hosts who again struck next, doubling their lead on 65 minutes. It was in somewhat similar fashion to their opening goal, as they won the ball off Saints just outside the visitors’ box and quickly shifted it to Mbeumo in space inside the area, with the forward side-footing into the far bottom corner.

It got worse for Saints four minutes later, as Brentford scored their third. A long throw into the area was flicked on at the near post, with Wissa arriving on the other side of goal to force it over the line from close range.

The visitors did threaten a couple of times through the lively Dibling, who once again impressed off the bench, testing Flekken with a shot from the edge of the area before flashing another effort just wide from slightly further out.

Sugawara also went close with a free-kick that was narrowly off target in the final minute, while Fernandes forced a good save from Flekken in added time, before Saints did finally get on the scoresheet.

It came from Sugawara, who struck a fantastic first-time effort with his left foot that arced into the far corner after a clever move had ended with Lallana cushioning a header to him in the area.

Saints now head into the first international break of the season, before returning home in a fortnight to face Manchester United.

Brentford: Flekken, Ajer (Roerslev 39), Collins, Pinnock, Janelt (Lewis-Potter 75), Nørgaard (c), Jensen, Damsgaard (Carvalho 82), Mbeumo, Schade (van den Berg 75), Wissa.

Unused substitutes: Valdimarsson, Mee, Yarmoliuk, Konak, Trevitt.

Goals: Mbeumo (43’, 65’), Wissa (69’).

Booked: Mbeumo, Pinnock.

Southampton: Ramsdale, Sugawara, Harwood-Bellis (Dibling 56), Bednarek, Stephens (c), Walker-Peters, Downes, Smallbone (Fernandes 46), Aribo (Lallana 82), Brereton Díaz, Armstrong (Archer 46).

Unused substitutes: McCarthy, Bree, Taylor, Ugochukwu, Amo-Ameyaw.

Goals: Sugawara (90+5').

Booked: Harwood-Bellis.

Referee: Josh Smith.

Attendance: 16,955.