Southampton add Artur Boruc to last line of defence after overcoming Aston Villa

Southampton 4 Aston Villa 1

Rickie Lambert scores during Southampton’s romp (Getty Images)

Nigel Adkins, the Southampton manager, is now spoilt for choice when it comes to goalkeepers after signing the former Celtic player Artur Boruc.

Adkins, who dropped his previous first choice and club captain Kelvin Davies from the starting line-up in favour of 20-year-old Paulo Gazzaniga for Saints' 4-1 win over Aston Villa on Saturday, believes the Poland international will give his incumbent players much-needed competition.

Boruc, who spent five years at Celtic Park, was a free agent, having left Fiorentina in the summer. Adkins said: "We're very pleased. Artur has great experience from Celtic and Fiorentina, and from playing for the national team in Poland.

"He now gives us a third goalkeeper in the building, which is important because the potential for injuries and people getting sent off means we have to cover ourselves. He gives us great back-up and competition.

"Paulo is a very young goalkeeper and he did ever so well for us today, and everyone knows how much I rate Kelvin – what a great character he is and how important he's been in what we've done here at Southampton. Artur now comes in as a third goalkeeper with a vast amount of experience."

Boruc spoke of his move to the Premier League as a "dream come true" and said: "I've been talking about this for a long time, and finally I'm here in the Premier League."

Rickie Lambert inspired Southampton to their first win since their promotion to the Premier League, scoring a second-half equaliser to cancel out Darren Bent's effort for Villa, then adding the fourth in the last minute.

Match facts

Southampton: GAZZANIGA 7/10; CLYNE 7; FONTE 6; YOSHIDA 6; FOX 4; PUNCHEON 6; SCHNEIDERLIN 7; RAMIREZ 8; S DAVIS 6; LALLANA 7; LAMBERT 8

Aston Villa: GUZAN 5; LICHAJ 5; CLARK 5; VLAAR 5; LOWTON 5; BANNAN 6; EL AHMADI 6; IRELAND 6; HOLMAN 6; BENT 6; BENTEKE 6

Goals: So'ton Lambert 58, pen 90+5, Clyne 63, Clark og 72, AV Bent 36. Subs: Sot Richardson 7 (Fox, 45), Mayuka (Puncheon, 74), Ward-Prowse (Davis, 79). AV Westwood 5 (Ireland, 45), Agbonlahor 6 (Bannan, 68), Bennett 6 (Lichaj, 68). Booked: Sot Clyne. AV Vlaar, Lichaj, Guzan. MOTM Lambert. Match rating 7/10. Poss: Sot 60%. AV 40%. On target: Sot 6. AV 2. Ref J Moss (Yorkshire). Att 30,713.