Cyle Larin once again demonstrated why Southampton manager Tonda Eckert regards him as the premier marksman in the Championship, netting a double in a dominant 5‑1 triumph that ended Millwall’s flawless opening to the campaign. The Lions had taken an early lead through Mark Sykes, but Larin’s two goals, together with Finn Azaz’s easy finish, Leo Scienza’s spot‑kick and Tom Fellows’ inaugural goal for the Saints, completely dismantled the visitors. The Canadian striker has already found the back of the net four times in the first three league fixtures, bringing his tally for Southampton to 12 goals in just 19 Championship outings – a striking strike rate that underscores his importance to the side. Southampton also erased the four‑point penalty imposed for the infamous "Spygate" incident, while Millwall suffered their first defeat of the season.
Alex Neil’s Millwall entered the match perched atop the table, and for the opening quarter‑hour they displayed the confidence that had earned them back‑to‑back victories. Tairyk Arconte forced a save from goalkeeper Daniel Peretz, and Josh Coburn’s header went wide, but the early pressure soon gave way to Southampton’s superiority. The breakthrough arrived when Sykes capitalised on a loose ball at the edge of the box, driving home a deflected strike. It marked the Irishman’s first goal for the club after arriving on a free transfer from Bristol City earlier in the summer.
From that point on, the Saints controlled every aspect of play. Ryan Manning’s short corner rattled a post, and the momentum shifted decisively in the 25th minute when Larin met Manning’s deep free‑kick with a powerful finish, maintaining his perfect scoring record in the league this season. Thirteen minutes later, Scienza showcased his dribbling flair, slipping past Jake Cooper, sprinting down the byline and lofting a precise pass over goalkeeper Max Crocombe for a tap‑in by Finn Azaz that made the scoreline 3‑0. Millwall had opportunities to pull one back before the interval; Kyrell Lisbie struck a post after Arconte set him up on a counter‑attack, but the Saints remained untroubled.
The second half began with the re‑introduction of James Ward‑Prowse, a fan favourite whose presence lifted the home crowd. Early on, Azaz was brought down in the box by Cooper, prompting Scienza to step up and calmly convert the penalty, extending the lead to 4‑0.
Larin then produced the match’s most spectacular strike in the 62nd minute. He lifted the ball over Cooper’s head before unleashing a thunderous volley from the edge of the area that crashed into the bottom corner, leaving Crocombe – who had been drafted in for the injured Lukas Jensen – with no chance.
Larin was on the verge of a hat‑trick, but Crocombe managed to block the final attempt, keeping the score at five. The final goal came from Tom Fellows, who celebrated the one‑year anniversary of his arrival at St Mary’s by calmly slotting the ball past Crocombe, sealing a 5‑1 victory and marking Southampton’s 12th unbeaten home league game. After the match, Tonda Eckert praised his side’s resilience: "It doesn’t hurt to have some points on the board.
We are chasing. We knew we needed to chase this season and we have shown we are capable of doing that. The second finish from Larin is just class. There are things a striker does when he’s full of confidence that he doesn’t do when he isn’t.
He takes responsibility for the team and does a lot off the pitch that isn’t visible but makes him invaluable. He could have taken the hat‑trick, but he didn’t, so I took him off!" Millwall manager Alex Neil expressed disappointment: "It was a strange game; we were very good for about 25 minutes. We took the lead and should have added another while we were on top.
The goals we conceded were poor from our perspective. We lacked the resilience and grit we usually show in the final 20 minutes.
I am bitterly disappointed with how the game ended." Overall, Southampton’s comprehensive win not only restored confidence after the points deduction but also highlighted Larin’s emerging status as a league‑leading forward, while Millwall will need to regroup after their first slip of the season.