Southampton 1 Middlesbrough 0: WATCH HIGHLIGHTS- Sofiane Boufal’s stunning strike decides game for Saints as Boro look desperate for return of Alvaro Negredo

SOUTHAMPTON recovered from their Europa League exit against Hapoel Beer Sheva but were made to work for their win against Aitor Karanka's resolute Middlesbrough.

In an uneventful game, a touch of second half quality from Sofiane Boufal decided the match in the home side's favour.

Visitors Middlesbrough had the better of the first half with close range chances missed by Jordan Rhodes and Viktor Fischer.

It was testament to Aitor Karanka's tactical approach in the first 45 minutes that Saints star Dusan Tadic was subbed off in the break, having been completely ineffective.

But Southampton were much improved in the second half and got their goal in the 53rd minute.

Record signing Sofiane Boufal received the ball off James Ward-Prowse and fired a stunning strike into the top corner past Victor Valdes, who didn't move an inch.

Jay Rodriguez had a golden opportunity to put the game beyond doubt in stoppage time but put the ball over the bar from a yard when it looked easier to score.

Middlesbrough will go home wondering what might have been if they'd had the quality of injured Gaston Ramirez and Alvaro Negredo up front.

FACTS, STATS, GOALS AND LOLS

• There is something cringeworthy and perhaps even a little sinister about the re-working of “My Way” called “We are Southampton” which plays before matches at St Mary’s.
• Still, the Saints needed something to rouse them after an appalling week, that defeat at Palace last weekend followed by the agonising exit from the Europa League on Thursday.
• Southampton’s previous record signing, £15m Dani Osvaldo, was a massive flop. £16m Sofiane Boufal arrived with an injury but his goal suggests he will do much better.
• Boss Claude Puel’s made eight changes to the side which had drawn with Hapoel Beer Sheva, which included a second PL start of the season for Jay Rodriguez.
• “You’re just a soft southern b*****d,” sang the away fans as their team put in some full-blooded challenges.
• But when Boro’s Adam Clayton went down and Saints’ Sam McQueen went on playing, Antonio Barragan was booked for having a go at the Southampton left back.
• In the absence of injured Gaston Ramirez, Boro struggled to create much against a solid-looking home side.
• It always felt like a game that would take a moment of magic to open the scoring and Boufal provided it.
• But Calum Chambers’ latest return to St Mary’s was one to forget as he turned his back on the Moroccan’s rocket shot.
• It was hard to see where a Boro equaliser would come from – their supporters sang “Aitor, give us a sub” to their manager on 70 minutes, then “We want Traore”.

BIG PICTURE

DREAM TEAM RATINGS

SOUTHAMPTON: Forster 6, Martina 7, Fonte 7, van Dijk 8, McQueen 7, Ward-Prowse 7, Romeu 6, Clasie 7, Boufal 8, Rodriguez 7, Tadic 5

SUBS: Redmond 6, Davis 6, Long 6

BOOKED: Tadic, Boufal, Fonte, Romeu

GOALS: Boufal 53'

MIDDLESBROUGH: Valdes 6, Barragan 6, Chambers 7, Gibson 6, Fabio 7, de Roon 6, Clayton 7, Forshaw 6, Stuani 6, Rhodes 6, Fischer 7

SUBS: Traore 6

BOOKED: Barragan, Forshaw, Clayton

STAR MAN: Virgil van Dijk

SOCIAL SAYS:

WHAT THEY SAID

Southampton manager Claude Puel: "In the first half we did not play with good fluency, but in the second half we were always strong and had good quality on the pitch. We changed the system and it was a very good second half and we deserved other goals.

"It is an important result after the disappointment of the squad [going out of the Europa League]. The three points are very important and it is always important after a disappointment to win the next game and we showed good character."

"He [Boufal] is a fantastic player - his qualities are fantastic. He can become an important player for the squad."

Middlesbrough manager Aitor Karanka: "We did almost everything, I can't say anything about the players. We kept working but in the Premier League you have to score your chances.

"We finished the first half well and I said we had to keep that intensity but they started the second half better than us. We're improving and growing, especially in defence."

"It would be easy to say we missed them [Negredo and Ramirez] but we win and lose as a team and I am happy with the players who played."