Southampton’s Premier League survival hopes took a major blow as they were beaten comfortably.
After overseeing a victory that saw Southampton book their place in the semi-final of the FA Cup before the international break, Mark Hughes was brought back down to earth on Saturday as he had to watch his side get thrashed by West Ham.
Heading into the game, it appeared to be the ideal contest for the south coast side. The Hammers’ previous home game had been marred by ugly scenes as the fans displayed their discontent, and it was David Moyes’ side who were immediately above Southampton in the table.
However, any hope the Saints had of getting themselves out of trouble this weekend was quashed in the first-half. Joao Mario’s thunderbolt and a Marko Arnautovic brace ensured that the Irons were the ones to ease their relegation concerns, leaving the Saints still two points off safety and boasting just one win since the end of November in the league.
A number of players were slated for their performances, but one of those who seemed to come in for the most criticism was Mario Lemina, with the midfielder enduring a nightmare afternoon.
The former Juventus man has often been exceptional since arriving in the summer, but he was extremely poor against West Ham, giving away the ball too easily and struggling to cope with the Hammers’ options in the middle of the park.
And despite his decent form throughout most of the campaign, the fans have not held back in their criticism of the 24-year-old on social media.
Here is how the fans reacted to Lemina’s performance…
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