The Cherries took the lead early on as Dango Ouattara headed home from close range before Ryan Christie, who set up the opening goal with a sumptuous cross, made it 2-0 just two minutes later with a well-struck shot from outside the area.

Bournemouth had chances to add to that advantage after the break, with Aaron Ramsdale tipping over a ferocious shot from Antoine Semenyo and, from the resulting corner, clawing Christie's header away from goal.

Ivan Juric's men improved in the second half and clawed a goal back through Kamaldeen Sulemana after he fired home in the 72nd minute, brilliantly drilling a low effort across goal.

But Marcus Tavernier ended the contest 11 minutes later as the substitute bent a powerful effort past Ramsdale to seal the points.

Southampton remains at the bottom of the table, 10 points adrift of safety, while the Cherries moved up to fifth, just one point behind fourth-place Manchester City.

Bournemouth boss Andoni Iraola was pleased to avoid a grandstand finish on the south coast, having dominated for much of the contest.

"I think it is a good win for us, and it is always difficult to play away in the Premier League," Iraola said.

"We played very well in the first 45 minutes, but it is true that when they scored there were some moments that were risky, and we were suffering. But thankfully, we got the third one, which is good."

Iraola dismissed the club's current position on the table but believes his side will be in and amongst the European places if it continues maintaining these levels of performance from now until the end of the campaign.

"I don't care about the position right now," he said.

"Forty-three points is a good number, but we need many more. We have to focus on the next games. Let's see where we are and later in the season we can look at the standings. It is early.

"We definitely deserve the results we are getting, and it is not a given that you are going to perform the same way until the end. If we perform in the same way, we will be there and be close. But it is difficult to stay at this level until the end of the season."

Southampton boss Juric praised the effort of his side but conceded that it was not enough considering the club's doomed relegation prospects.

"They were the better team in the first half and second half. I think we did really well, but it was not enough," Juric said.

"We are in a bad situation and there were some positives but not enough to take points in the Premier League.

"The players are giving 100 per cent. I had a feeling that they had given the maximum."