Southampton earn point as Jack Stephens’ strike denies Brighton victory

For the second time in five days, Jack Stephens got Southampton and Mauricio Pellegrino out of jail in front of a home crowd whose patience is wearing thin.

Southampton paid a club-record £19.2m for the striker Guido Carrillo last week but it was Stephens’ second-half backheel that earned Saints a point in the fight for survival at home to a Brighton side who led through Glenn Murray’s penalty.

This meek performance and result extended Saints’ winless Premier League run to 12 matches – equalling a record set during the 1994-95 season – and did little to suggest they will waltz out of the bottom three anytime soon. Pellegrino had likened the manager’s job to being in an electric chair and at times this was a painful exercise for all concerned parties.

Asked if his job hinges on victory at West Bromwich Albion on Saturday, the Southampton manager replied: “I don’t want to be naive, I know that in football results are everything. But, in two or three weeks’ time, everything can change.” Time, however, is running out, with Saints having tasted victory only four times in the league all season, three on home turf.

In a game of such magnitude, Southampton’s slack start was alarming. With only 27 seconds on the clock José Izquierdo blasted over. Saints did not heed the warning signs and when Izquierdo sped beyond Cédric Soares, he unselfishly squared for Solly March, who swivelled inside the box before being caught by Wesley Hoedt’s trailing leg. The referee, Mike Dean, pointed to the spot and Murray calmly side-footed home his ninth goal of the season.

In the directors’ box, where Les Reed, the executive director, and Ralph Krueger, the chairman, watched on, there were only glum expressions. Pellegrino admits the board’s continued backing is “one of the most important victories”.

Southampton quickly ran out of ideas although almost earned what would have been a freak lifeline. Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg chased down Mathew Ryan’s clearance and the ball cannoned off the back of the Saints midfielder and smacked the crossbar, incensing Chris Hughton.

Something had to change at the interval, with a home defeat non-negotiable for an increasingly volatile home crowd. Carrillo entered for his league debut but it was Stephens, the match-winner at home last Saturday, who got the faintest of touches on James Ward-Prowse’s deflected free-kick to draw Saints level.

As for Brighton’s record signing, Jürgen Locadia, Hughton is hopeful he can play some part against Stoke City next weekend.

Suddenly the weight was thrown off Southampton’s shoulders. Carrillo drove wide before Steven Davis sent Ryan sprawling. Pellegrino cut a figure of panic, desperately trying to get hold of the ball as it bounced over the advertising hoardings during three minutes of added time. Both sides, though, remain in trouble.