Southampton FC 1-2 Hull City: Daily Echo's player ratings

Burnley loanee Zaroury tapped in before Fabio Carvalho, borrowed from Liverpool, thrashed in Hull’s second to lift them into the play-off places.

Joe Aribo pulled one back for Saints but it was their first home defeat in 12 matches, with their automatic promotion push derailed by back-to-back Tuesday defeats.

Here is how we rated the players as they dropped to fourth in the league table...

Adam Armstrong endured a difficult night before an early substitution (Image: Stuart Martin)

Gavin Bazunu - 5. 

Palmed Jaden Philogene's effort straight to danger for Anass Zaroury to gratefully net the opener. Beaten one-on-one for the second, in a situation where the striker was the favourite. Did record three saves during the 90 minutes and improved with ball at feet after the break. 

Kyle Walker-Peters - 6. 

Missed a tackle for the opening goal but otherwise defensively sound, recording the second-most defensive actions (10) of any Saints player. Improved from an attacking point of view after the break, although he did not create any meaningful chances. 

Taylor Harwood-Bellis - 6. 

Decent. Played around for the opening goal. A good last-ditch block on a goalbound shot with the scores at 2-1. Made the most accurate passes of any player (118) on the pitch. No need to be ashamed of his performance and remains one of the side's key players. 

Jan Bednarek - 7. 

Named Southampton's man of the match inside the stadium. The most involved Saints player on the night, with several important bits of defending and complete reliability in possession once again. Avoided yellow card and subsequent two-match suspension. 

Ryan Manning - 4.

Question mark over the space awarded to Philogene for the opening goal. Skinned by Philogene for a shot soon after. Played Bazunu short with a header back to end the first half. Fired wide with a half chance after the break. 

Will Smallbone - 5. 

Great ball-win high up for Rothwell and should have been rewarded with an assist for opening goal. Otherwise, unable to help Saints maintain control of match until improvement alongside the subs in second half. Managed two shots, more than any Saints player except Aribo and Adams.

Joe Rothwell - 3. 

Latched onto an early gift with real purpose and should score but was denied by Ryan Allsop. All downhill from there for the Bournemouth loanee. Caught running out the back for the second goal. Substituted at half-time with no control in the midfield. 

Stuart Armstrong - 5. 

Managed another 70 minutes. Decent stats in terms of balls into the final third and touches in the opposition box but not at his creative best. Could have done with him relieving some pressure on the defensive-minded players in the first half but did not have the service. 

Adam Armstrong - 4.

Managed just 12 touches in 45 minutes before he was substituted at half-time. Did not produce anything meaningful and in a bit of a bad run at the moment. Nothing to say about his performance sums it up. Might find himself dropped on Saturday. 

Sam Edozie - 5.

No major notes on Edozie's performance but was actually decent on the rare occasions he had the ball. Looked to make space by staying high and wide when the rest of the team was drawn into the middle. Unable to create any chances but good stats in and out of possession.

Sekou Mara - 4. 

Not able to follow up on his performance at The Hawthorns. Was left isolated in attack with no service and managed only one touch in the opposition half before his half-time substitution. Forced to come into deep areas looking for the ball and had a 100 per cent pass success rate. 

Jan Bednarek was named Southampton's man of the match (Image: Stuart Martin)

Substitutes 

Che Adams - 7.

Substituted on at half-time. More involved than Mara immediately, firing wide with one shot from inside the area. Combined with Fraser for a good chance but probably took it off Aribo's feet in the end. Assisted Aribo for the eventual goal late on.

David Brooks - 8.

Substituted on at half-time. Looked tidy in possession and confident to move around the pitch and create all over, including setting up Manning and Adams for shots. His cross in for the goal - an excellent performance from the bench. 

Joe Aribo - 8. 

Substituted on at half-time. A captain's performance on his St Mary's return. Added tenacity and energy to a midfield otherwise devoid of it. Managed to force a couple shots in the area, including a powerful strike for the Saints goal in the 88th minute.

Ryan Fraser - 7. 

Substituted on the hour mark. Set up Aribo for a good chance in the are before being involved in the goal by linking up with Brooks for the Welshman's cross into the box. Good performance from the bench by the loanee winger. 

Kamaldeen Sulemana - 6.

The fifth and final substitute after 70 minutes. Managed just 13 touches, with one shot blocked from outside the area. Quietest of all the changes and unable to record any positive dribbles or duels but was not an inhibitor for his teammates.