Riyad Mahrez stunned Southampton with his brace to help Leicester in their 2-0 win on Saturday’s Premier League encounter. The victory puts Leicester within sight of their current mjor goal, avoiding relegation.

The Algerian forward found the net with a low drive on seven minutes and soon doubled his tally when turning home Jamie Vardy’s pull-back. Leicester have won six of their last seven games and are now three points clear of danger moving up a spot to 15th place, with two to play.

Mahrez picked up the ball in midfield and was allowed to set off on a dangerous run to the edge of the box where he took aim and fired low beyond Paulo Gazzaniga, who was making his first start of the season. At 19 minutes Leonardo Ulloa’s flick-on found the always busy Vardy, who pulled the ball back for Mahrez to poke in number two.

For the rest of the game, Leicester were content to sit deep, clear their lines in rudimentary fashion and allow Southampton the lion’s share of possession. Although Sadio Mané headed over from close range halfway through the first half, and dispatched a 25-yard lob that Kasper Schmeichel did well to tip over midway through the second, the truth was that Southampton were in a lower gear. They simply had less at stake and it showed.

Southampton are without a win in four matches but stay in seventh.