Southampton hand relegated Villa 10th league defeat in row
REUTERS - Dusan Tadic scored twice as Southampton handed relegated Aston Villa their 10th successive Premier League defeat with a 4-2 win on Saturday that kept alive their European hopes.
Striker Shane Long, who laid on both Tadic's goals, put Saints ahead when he nipped in behind the static Joleon Lescott in a leaky Villa defence to head in Ryan Bertrand's cross after a quarter of an hour.
Southampton increased their lead when Tadic tapped in Long's square ball as angry Villa fans, their team's relegation settled last weekend, waved cards saying "Proud History, What Future?"
Villa, their enterprise in attack contrasting with their woeful defending, pulled two goals back through midfielder Ashley Westwood either side of Tadic's 71st-minute strike and substitute Sadio Mane completed the visitors' win with a stoppage-time header.
(Writing by Rex Gowar; Editing by Ed Osmond)