Danny Ings' controversial penalty gave Southampton all three points at Brighton & Hove Albion on Monday night.
In front of 2,000 home supporters at the AMEX Stadium, Albion took the lead when Pascal Gross fired home a penalty midway through the first half.
However, Jannik Vestergaard’s header put Southampton on level terms just before half time before VAR’s intervention saw the Saints awarded a penalty, which substitute Ings converted after 81 minutes.
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Graham Potter made one change from the draw with Liverpool last time out, with Tariq Lamptey coming back into the starting line up in place of Neal Maupay - with Aaron Connolly and Pascal Gross pushing forwards as a result.
Southampton, meanwhile, named an unchanged starting XI from the defeat to Manchester United, but were boosted by both Nathan Redmond and Ings being fit enough to be included on the bench.
The Seagulls started on top, and could have taken the lead within five minutes when Solly March picked out Danny Welbeck, but his first time effort was saved by the diving Alex McCarthy.
Lewis Dunk then should’ve done better when Gross picked him out from a free-kick, but the Albion skipper could only head over.
Gross spot on
The hosts were then given a great chance to go in front when James Ward-Prowse was penalised for handball inside the area and referee David Coote pointed to the spot. Gross stepped up, and cooly sent McCarthy the wrong way to give the Seagulls the lead midway through the first half.
After that, the Seagulls appeared to drop off, lacking that killer instinct and allowed Southampton more of the ball, but resilient defending restricted the visitors’ opportunities.
Lapse in concentration
That was until just before the break, however. Ward-Prowse’s pin-point delivery from a corner picked out the towering Vestergaard whose header found the top far corner.
And it was Ralph Hasenhuttl’s side who started the brighter in the second half, with Theo Walcott curling an effort just wide after good work from Stuart Armstrong.
Ings, brought on at half time by the Saints, then tested Mat Ryan with a header before Gross fired over the top when well placed at the other end.
Substitute Redmond then lashed over the bar after neat play from Ings, before an intervention from VAR presented the visitors with the chance to go in front.
VAR intervention
Referee Coote initially awarded a free-kick when Kyle Walker-Peters was bundled over by March, but after review contact was deemed to be made inside the area and a penalty was awarded.
Up stepped Ings, who on his return to action made no mistake as he sent Ryan the wrong way from the spot with nine minutes to go.
Albion pressed for an equaliser, and came close when Gross found substitute Maupay with his back to goal, but his shot on the turn went the wrong side of the post.