Southampton, both on and off the field when you consider the brewing interest in their star assets. But in terms of a marker for a new manager and the delivery of his philosophy, this was an emphatic sign of what to expect from the Saints under Russell Martin this season.
It is perhaps important to caveat this victory on a thoroughly entertaining opening night at Hillsborough with the point that barely three months ago these two sides were two divisions apart. On that basis, what Sheffield Wednesday produced in terms of a second-half fightback will give them hope for the mammoth slog ahead. But ultimately it was Southampton who secured victory with a performance that was, in reality, a near-perfect embodiment of their manager’s style.
Nathan Tella cut in from the right and unleashed a fine left-footed shot from the edge of the area, that took the smallest of flicks off the back of team-mate Adam Armstrong's head on its way past Owls goalkeeper Cameron Dawson.
The home side, who had been utterly outplayed in the first half, levelled after the break when Lee Gregory smashed home after a corner was headed back across goal.
Southampton wasted little time in putting Martin’s style into practice in south Yorkshire. They had an almost instant reward too, as a curling effort from the impressive Nathan Tella deflected off Adam Armstrong’s head and past Cameron Dawson.
However, while the visitors remained dominant in possession, there were few clear-cut opportunities. Their one-goal lead felt merited without question, but also as though it could have been more had there been some further intent. And when Gregory equalised nine minutes after the restart, you wondered if Southampton’s lack of a killer instinct would haunt them. They immediately returned on to the front foot but Wednesday were certainly improved in the second half, and this performance will give them hope aplenty they can survive this season.
England international Ward-Prowse, who has been linked with a move to West Ham and seems unlikely to spend a season in the second tier, was at the heart of the winning goal. His penetrating run into the home area was not tracked and his pullback left ex-Sheffield United man Adams with a simple tap-in.
The south-coast team had ended last season on a run of 13 games without victory, but they stood firm through nine minutes of time added on to claim a first opening-day win in a decade.
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