Sadio Mane makes hat-trick history as Southampton crush Aston Villa

Sadio Mane scored the fastest hat-trick in Premier League history as Southampton thrashed a feeble Aston Villa side 6-1 at St Mary’s Stadium.

The Senegalese forward opened his account in the 12th minute, picking up Graziano Pelle’s flick-on and surging past challenges from Ron Vlaar, Alan Hutton and Shay Given before poking the ball into the net.

He had two more within two minutes and 56 seconds, with the second another tap-in after an underhit backpass from Vlaar and the third an excellent sidefoot finish following Shane Long’s cutback.

Long was soon in on the action himself, slotting the ball in from close range after Given parried out a low shot from Pelle for his first, before curling in an outstanding shot from 35 yards to make it 5-0 after just 38 minutes.

Christian Benteke did pull one back for the visitors just before half-time, rising high to nod Charles N’Zogbia’s cross from the right into the net, but Villa boss Tim Sherwood clearly took no consolation from it.

A largely subdued second-half did bring one more goal for the home side, as Pelle volleyed high into the net after an excellent cross from Mane.

4' – GOAL DISALLOWED! Pelle slides the ball into the net after being played through on goal but, to his disgust, he is flagged for offside. It's a bad call as Ron Vlaar was level with the Italian.

12' - GOAL! Southampton 1-0 Aston Villa (Mane) Sadio Mane scores and he deserves plenty of credit for the goal, surging past challenges from Ron Vlaar, Alan Hutton and Shay Given before slotting the ball into the net.

14 - GOAL! Southampton 2-0 Aston Villa (Mane) Mane makes it two and it's another disaster for Ron Vlaar! The Senegalese forward picks up the pieces as Vlaar plays his backpass to Given too short and Long intercepts, allowing Mane to tap home.

15' - GOAL! Southampton 3-0 Aston Villa (Mane, hat-trick) Incredible! Mane has a three-minute hat-trick as Aston Villa's defence capitulates once again. It's a very good finish this time as he sidefoots the ball beyond Shay Given after Shane Long's cut-back.

26 - GOAL! Southampton 4-0 Aston Villa (Long) Another goal for Southampton, another catastrophe for Aston Villa's defence. Pelle is played clean through and Shay Given can only parry his interception out to Long for a tap-in.

38 - GOAL! Southampton 5-0 Aston Villa (Long) Long has his second of the half and it's absolutely fantastic! He picks up the ball on the halfway line and runs ten yards into the Villa half before bending a shot beyond Shay Given. Magnificent.

45 - GOAL! Southampton 5-1 Aston Villa (Benteke) Southampton switch off just before half-time, allowing N'Zogbia to drive a cross in from the right which Benteke nods home in his characteristic style.

81’ - GOAL! Southampton 6-1 Aston Villa (Pelle) Graziano Pelle has the goal he deserves, volleying the ball high into the net from Mane's cross. The Italian was played onside by Ron Vlaar once again and this time the linesman got it right.

Sadio Mane’s hat-trick in two minutes and 56 seconds was the fastest in Premier League history.

Southampton’s 37 points won at home this season is a new club record in the Premier League.

11 of Graziano Pelle’s 12 Premier League goals this season have arrived at St. Mary’s.

Since Tim Sherwood’s first Premier League game in charge of Aston Villa, Christian Benteke has scored more goals than any other player in the league with 11.

Will Aston Villa live to regret this thrashing? Hull City's later defeat on Saturday meant Villa are safe, but this performance took the wind out of Villa's sales in a massive way. Their defending was shambolic and Ron Vlaar could have nightmares about his display. So what does this mean ahead of the FA Cup final? How will Sherwood lift his side, and will it have repercussions on who gets the nod for the big day at Wembley.

Sadio Mane (Southampton): If his record-breaking hat-trick wasn’t enough, the Senegalese forward also got an excellent assist for Pelle’s late volley. Mane’s pace and desire embarrassed a feeble Aston Villa defence on a day for Tim Sherwood to forget.

Southampton: Gazzaniga 6, Clyne 7, Fonte 7, Alderweireld 7, Bertrand 7, Davis 7, Wanyama 7, Ward-Prowse 8, Long 8, Pelle 8, Mane 9 … Subs: Yoshida 6, Djuricic 6, Elia N/A.

Aston Villa: Given 5, Bacuna 5, Okore 4, Hutton 3, Vlaar 2, Cleverley 5, Westwood 5, Delph 6, N’Zogbia 5, Benteke 7, Grealish 6… Subs: Lowton 5, Agbonlahor 6, Sinclair N/A.