SAINTS ended their miserable run of Premier League form with a 2-0 victory over Sheffield United - in boss Ralph Hasenhuttl’s 100th game in charge of the club.

Goals from James Ward-Prowse and Che Adams ensured the St Mary’s side blunted the struggling Blades at Bramall Lane and recorded their first league win since January.

Success also put the visitors 10 points clear of the bottom three.

Saints were boosted by the returns of Kyle Walker-Peters, Ibrahima Diallo and Takumi Minamino for the trip to south Yorkshire, after they recovered from their respective muscle injuries.

Youngster Tella was also brought back into the starting XI as boss Hasenhuttl opted to make four changes from the team that was beaten at Everton on Monday.

Moussa Djenepo, Nathan Redmond, Mohammed Salisu and Adams all dropped to the bench for the visitors. Fraser Forster was once again preferred to Alex McCarthy in goal.

The Blades made one change with Jayden Bogle coming in for the suspended Phil Jagielka.

Despite having key personnel back available to them, Saints lost one of their stars after just 13 minutes.

Frontman Danny Ings was forced off with what appeared to be a groin problem. He was replaced by former Blade Adams.

In a quiet opening quarter in terms of chances, United had calls for a penalty waved away on 23 minutes.

Former Liverpool youngster Rhian Brewster went down in the box under a challenge from Jan Bednarek but referee Paul Tierney waved away the Blades’ appeals.

Saints’ first opening fell to Tella, who was operating up front. After a long ball forward was headed into his path, he blazed an effort over the bar from 25 yards out.

But youngster Tella was to play a part in the opener as Saints went ahead after 32 minutes. The forward showed electric pace to force Ethan Ampadu into a sliding challenge in the box, which brought him down.

Referee Tierney took his time before pointing to the spot. Ward-Prowse kept his cool from 12 yards to put the visitors in front.

Forster was called upon for the first time in the contest just five minutes before the break.

He showed sharp reactions to deny David McGoldrick, who gathered a menacing cross from the left - the striker was flagged offside after the move had finished.

And former Saint McGoldrick had a glorious chance just before the interval. After Diallo gifted away possession, the Blades’ forward looked to chip the onrushing Forster, who stood up to claim the ball with ease.

But Saints stamped their authority on the contest with a sublime strike from Adams, which found the net on 49 minutes to make it 2-0.

After Stuart Armstrong chested into the path of the striker, he sent a rasping half-volley past Aaron Ramsdale into the top corner from 20 yards out, for his first goal since scoring against the Blades back in December.

Tella, whose performance deserved a goal, then ran at the United defence before tasking former Bournemouth keeper Ramsdale with a diving stop to his left.

Minamino then had a chance to wrap up the contest with 20 minutes remaining.

After drifting into space to meet Ryan Bertrand’s cutback, the Liverpool loanee failed to hit the target from 12 yards out.

Adams and then Nathan Redmond, who had come on to replace Tella, also worked Ramsdale as Saints looked to add a third on the counter.

But it was not to matter, as Saints wrapped up a comfortable victory on the road.

Saints: Forster, Walker-Peters, Bednarek, Vestergaard, Bertrand, Diallo, Ward-Prowse, Armstrong, Tella (Redmond, 77), Minamino (Djenepo, 88), Ings (Adams, 13).

Unused subs: Stephens, Salisu, Jankewitz, Chauke, N’Lundulu, McCarthy (g/k).

Booked: Armstrong, Tella, Vestergaard.

Blades: Ramsdale, Ampadu, Bryan, Stevens, Baldock, Lundstram, Norwood (McBurnie, h-t), Fleck, Bogle, McGoldrick (Mousset, 58), Brewster (Sharp, 68).

Unused subs: Lowe, Burke, Osborn, Ndiaye, Maguire, Foderingham (g/k).

Booked: Ampadu, Bogle, Fleck, McBurnie.

Referee: Paul Tierney.