The Saints had lost four games in a row, dropping them to the bottom of the Championship, but they got off to a flying start, with Adam Armstrong scoring inside the opening two minutes following Kyle Walker-Peters’ brilliant reverse pass.

The Southampton striker added another as he twisted and moved to unsettle Sam Byram before shooting for the far corner, where Pascal Struijk got the finishing touch before it settled in the corner.

Leeds were three down at the break when Kamaldeen Sulemana ran down the right flank and calmly waited for Will Smallbone to arrive before providing a cut-back that the midfielder delightfully guided in off the far post.

Leeds, who entered the game on a six-match undefeated streak, responded with Struijk brilliantly grabbed the ball out of the air and swiveled to fire home following a corner that the Saints had failed to clear.

Leeds entered the match of two freshly relegated clubs as favourites because to their contrasting form, but Daniel Farke’s side could not get going.