Football
2017/2018 English Premier League
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PA Sport 6y

Jack Butland's late saves help Stoke City hold Southampton to draw

Southampton failed to ease the pressure on manager Mauricio Pellegrino as their lengthy wait for a Premier League home win was prolonged by a 0-0 draw with relegation rivals Stoke City.

Their last victory at St Mary's came more than three months ago and they wasted another chance to boost their survival hopes after failing to break down second-bottom Stoke.

Southampton dominated the second period but saw Stoke goalkeeper Jack Butland keep out efforts from Josh Sims, Cedric Soares and Nathan Redmond before substitute Sofiane Boufal squandered an excellent opportunity to earn the three points.

Southampton last won a Premier League game at home on Nov. 26 -- a run of eight without a victory -- and they remain a point above the bottom three after being booed off at the end of both halves.

They also could have lost this one as Badou Ndiaye and Maxim Choupo-Moting threatened to score breakaway goals for Stoke.

Stoke forward Mame Biram Diouf was hit by Southampton defender Wesley Hoedt and hobbled off after 23 minutes while clutching his shoulder.

It appeared to be an act of revenge following a clash between the pair in the Southampton box in the opening minutes that left Hoedt holding his face.

Stoke manager Paul Lambert had kept faith with the starting XI which earned a point at Leicester City last week and Pellegrino made one alteration, handing winger Sims, who has recovered from a serious knee injury, his first league start in more than 15 months.

Sims added extra energy to Southampton but, after bursting past Bruno Martins Indi and into the penalty area nine minutes before half-time, he hesitated slightly, allowing Indi to block his shot as Guido Carrillo waited in the middle.

Stoke midfielder Ndiaye, who earlier escaped a card for a bad tackle on Mario Lemina, was closest to putting the visitors ahead when his flicked header was tipped past the left post by Southampton goalkeeper Alex McCarthy.

Southampton showed more purpose after the restart and Butland did well to deny Sims, Soares and Redmond with a string of fine saves.

Stoke, who introduced former Southampton striker Peter Crouch at the interval, remained a threat on the counter attack, and a last-ditch challenge from Jack Stephens was required to divert over Choupo-Moting's close-range attempt.

Pellegrino replaced Sims with Boufal 14 minutes from time and Boufal should have made an immediate impact, only to head wide from close range when unmarked as the game ended.

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