London
Charlie Austin made it seven goals in six games in all competitions for Southampton with a double in Sunday’s 3-1 victory over Burnley that took the south coast club up to eighth in the standings.
In a career that began outside England’s four professional leagues, Burnley provided the 27-year-old Austin with one of his stepping stones to the world’s richest soccer competition.
Austin was a bricklayer working a full day on a building site before playing on a part-time basis for Poole Town in the ninth tier until 2009. It took third-tier club Swindon to pluck Austin from obscurity, for Burnley to take him up another league and then QPR to give him a shot at the Premier League.
Still, doubts persisted around Austin’s fitness. Southampton was able to snap him up for $6 million in January. What a bargain that now seems.
The case looks increasingly compelling for Austin to return to the England squad for the first time since 2015, when he failed to make his international debut. It could happen this time if interim England manager Gareth Southgate is comparing Austin’s form with Vardy’s for Leicester when it comes to selecting players to face Scotland and Spain next month.
After a 24-goal haul last season, Vardy has only scored twice this campaign, and his goal drought reached seven matches on Saturday as Leicester’s feeble title defense continued with a loss at Chelsea.
Austin’s first goal, in the 52nd minute, was down to persistence rather than finesse. Virgil van Dijk met Dusan Tadic’s corner with a header across the face of goal to Austin. The first shot was blocked on the line by Sam Vokes, but Austin followed up by poking the ball into the net.
After Nathan Redmond’s low volley from the edge of the area doubled Southampton’s lead, Austin was on target from the penalty spot in the 66th minute following Johann Berg Gudmundsson’s push on Sam McQueen.
The day’s first Premier League game, Watford’s 1-0 win at Middlesbrough, lacked the entertainment provided later by Southampton, with the only memorable moment coming with Jose Holebas’s eye-catching goal.
The 32-year-old Greek midfielder sent a shot from the edge of the penalty area soaring into the top of the net in the 54th minute at the Riverside stadium in northeast England.
Watford climbed to 10th place as Middlesbrough remained winless at home this season since returning to the Premier League and only out of the relegation zone on goal difference.