After a bright start from both teams, it was Bournemouth who struck first through Nathan Ake, who got in front of Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg at the back post to head home Jack Wilshere's cross from eight yards out.

The home side should have made it 2-0 soon afterwards after Joshua King turned Virgil van Dijk, but his low effort was blocked by the legs of Fraser Forster.

It was an intervention that Southampton immediately capitalised on as they equalised a minute later through Ryan Bertrand, who drove at the Bournemouth defence before firing a shot into the far corner of the net.

Bournemouth had made the brighter start but Southampton created the clearer openings for the remainder of the half, with Sofiane Boufal first bringing a save out of Artur Boruc.

On the half-hour mark, Bertrand continued to pose a threat down the left and his cross to Nathan Redmond should have resulted in a goal, but his teammate miscued his first-time effort and the Cherries were able to clear.

Claude Puel introduced Steven Davis at the break and it took the Northern Irishman just three minutes to make an impact as he advanced into the penalty area before crossing for Rodriguez, who got ahead of the defender to poke home from three yards.

Bournemouth responded with Callum Wilson twice getting efforts in on goal but Southampton soon threatened again through Rodriguez, who cut inside onto his right foot before being denied by a smart block from Boruc.

The home side made three substitutions to try to change the course of the match but it was the visitors who continued to create the better opportunities, with Hojbjerg seeing a half-volley blocked on the line by Ake.

Redmond also saw a long-range effort go just off target but with five minutes remaining, Southampton made sure of the points with a sensational goal from Rodriguez.

After the ball ricocheted off Redmond into his path, the former Burnley attacker did the rest with a stunning volley into the top corner from just under 25 yards out.

During five minutes of added-on time, Steve Cook drilled a long-range strike straight at Forster but Bournemouth never threatened to replicate their comeback win over Liverpool two weeks ago.