[35][36] Displaying evidence of a much stronger defence than the previous season, Southampton started 2013–14 well by winning six of their first 11 games, conceding only five goals, and remaining unbeaten for almost two months between September and November, reaching a peak of third in the Premier League table in the process.
[58][59] With the introduction of striker Klaas-Jan Huntelaar though, Schalke came out into the second half the stronger side, with the Dutch 2010 FIFA World Cup runner-up enjoying the majority of his team's chances before breaking the deadlock just before the hour mark.
[53] Southampton started the game positively, with recently announced England international Rickie Lambert taking a long shot early on before providing Adam Lallana with the ball to score a volley in the seventh minute and put the team one up at home.
[64][65] The Saints continued to press, with attacking play through Morgan Schneiderlin, Jay Rodriguez, and Jos Hooiveld (who had a header cleared off the line), but it was a defensive error on the part of the Premier League side that allowed Sociedad midfielder Gorka Elustondo to tap in for 1–1.
The visitors began the game the stronger side, enjoying the majority possession and potential chances, with set pieces from young midfielder James Ward-Prowse threatening Ben Foster's goal numerous times.
[66][67] In the second half, Southampton continued to pressurise the hosts as Jay Rodriguez came close a number of times, once striking the crossbar with a shot; Albion responded with some attacking presses, but defenders Dejan Lovren and Chambers were strong to deny the efforts from reaching goal.
Norwich arguably started the game the stronger of the two sides, and young winger Nathan Redmond looked threatening and almost broke the deadlock early on when he beat James Ward-Prowse but dragged his shot narrowly wide.
The visitors started the game brightly, challenging Artur Boruc's goal early through Michu and Jonjo Shelvey, although the Saints responded in kind through Dani Osvaldo who almost forced Swansea goalkeeper Michel Vorm into a mistake.
[78][79] Southampton continued to push on, as Rickie Lambert and Morgan Schneiderlin enjoyed chances, and in the 19th minute the deadlock was broken when captain Adam Lallana picked up his own cross from Steven Davis after a defensive error and slotted the ball home for 1–0 and his first goal of the season.
[80][81] Rickie Lambert came on as a substitute for Jay Rodriguez after 56 minutes, but it was the champions who continued to dominate when Rooney scored another only to be flagged for offside once again, and Artur Boruc was called into action once again when he made a one-handed save from teenager Adnan Januzaj's accurate shot from outside the penalty box.
[82][83] The hosts continued to pressure the visitors' goal, including a long effort going narrowly wide from Victory Wanyama, before a James Ward-Prowse corner was flicked onto the back post by Jay Rodriguez where Rickie Lambert was on hand to head in for 1–0.
[82][83] Rodriguez nearly made it two just a minute later after running through a number of Fulham defenders, but his shot lacked enough power to really challenge the goal, and the visiting side enjoyed their first attack of the game shortly after when Kieran Richardson crossed in for Dimitar Berbatov only for Artur Boruc to catch comfortably.
[84][85] The last action came in the 89th minute when the ball appeared to strike Shawcross's hand in the area, leading to a strong penalty claim from Southampton players, but the game ended 1–1 and the Saints remained in fifth place (sixth after the following day's results).
[37][38] Southampton continued to attack and defend well, and just before the half-hour mark the team were awarded a penalty for a foul on recent England call-up Adam Lallana, who had been put through by fellow international Rickie Lambert, who then converted the spot kick for 2–0.
[86][87] Both sides started the game well, and Southampton began to find their feet early with set piece opportunities for James Ward-Prowse to try to provide chances to open the scoring falling flat, but it was the hosts who almost struck first when a cross-come-shot from Jack Wilshere hit the post only to come back out for Artur Boruc to claim.
[86][87] Lallana was replaced by Dani Osvaldo, and Arsenal retaliated with a long spell of high pressure on the Southampton goal – first Özil tested Boruc from inside the area, then Wilshere headed close to the goalkeeper.
[86][87] Osvaldo struck low to be denied by home keeper Wojciech Szczęsny, and some interplay between Victor Wanyama, Nathaniel Clyne, and Jay Rodriguez set up Rickie Lambert whose shot was deflected out for a corner.
[88][89] With Demba Ba on for the hosts, Chelsea began the second half as they had ended the first, dominating the majority of the attacks in the early exchanges, with Torres coming close to equalising within minutes of the restart but for a block by Victor Wanyama.
[88][89] Chelsea continued the high pressure on Southampton, and after ten minutes they equalised through Cahill who headed in from close range; during the goal, Boruc received an injury to his hand, and was replaced by Paulo Gazzaniga for his first league appearance of the season.
[92][93] Man City started the game strongly, with a chance for James Milner being thwarted by a last-ditch tackle from Dejan Lovren early on, and it was the visitors who struck first within 10 minutes through top scorer Sergio Agüero.
[94][95] Some well-worked interplay between Lallana and Rickie Lambert almost culminated in a good chance for Jay Rodriguez, but for some last-minute defending, and Steven Davis also showed some attacking prowess throughout the second half but to be denied by in-form goalkeeper Tim Krul.
[40][41] Young substitute striker Sam Gallagher enjoyed his first chance on goal late on, but the Spurs continued to dominate and held on to take all three points, leaving Southampton in ninth position in the table, their worst since September.
Southampton started the game strongly, with Calum Chambers, Adam Lallana, and Steven Davis orchestrating early attacking moves, although it was the hosts who had the first real sight of goal when a cross from Craig Noone was missed by Peter Whittingham from six yards out.
[102][103] After the hour mark, Gastón Ramírez was brought on for Cork, and he almost immediately made an impact; shortly after testing Foster with a free-kick, the Uruguayan midfielder played a pass into captain Lallana who could roll the ball underneath the West Brom goalkeeper to make it 1–0.
[104][105] Mathieu Flamini was sent off late in the match, and Southampton almost made the one-man advantage count twice in the closing stages of the game, first through a dangerous ball from Shaw which needed to be tipped over, and then from a low shot by Fonte, which was also saved.
[113][114] Momentum for the Championship side continued, and they almost took the lead just minutes later through a Vokes second, but Davis performed well to deny the Welsh striker; Adam Lallana was brought on in place of Ramírez just before the hour mark, with the hosts struggling to get back into the game.
[113][114] Rodriguez continued to enjoy chances against his former club though, and in the 66th minute he finally scored as a James Ward-Prowse shot was saved and the rebound came to the striker on the edge of the penalty area for a simple conversion, marking his 10th goal of the season in all competitions.
Both teams named significantly changed sides from their previous league fixtures, and it took until the tenth minute for the first chance to fall to Southampton, with a well-executed move ending in a setup for James Ward-Prowse by Rickie Lambert which was taken comfortably by the Sunderland goalkeeper.
[118][119] The Saints soon brought on first-team mainstays Jay Rodriguez and Morgan Schneiderlin, but still struggled to find their way back into the tie; Connor Wickham also came on for the hosts, and provided a fresh, dangerous attacking option, almost scoring a second on a number of occasions.
[118][119] Southampton's best chance came late in the game, when a low cross from Nathaniel Clyne found Lambert unmarked in the six-yard area, but he scuffed the shot over the bar to leave the home side in front and progressing to the quarter-finals of the competition.