Danny Ings' first-half header was his 10th goal of the season in all competitions for Southampton and his ninth in 10 matches

Southampton beat fellow strugglers Norwich City at St Mary's to move out of the Premier League relegation zone.

The Saints went ahead in the 22nd minute when Danny Ings produced a glancing header from James Ward-Prowse's fine in-swinging free-kick.

Southampton doubled their lead with a close-range finish from Ryan Bertrand after Shane Long's headed flick-on.

Norwich's Teemu Pukki pulled one back from Alexander Tettey's pass but it was not enough as the hosts held on.

The Canaries had two chances to snatch a point in injury time but substitute Emiliano Buendia's glancing header went wide and Sam Byram shot over when well placed.

Saints moved up from 18th to 17th, above Everton, who lost 5-2 in the Merseyside derby at leaders Liverpool.

Hasenhuttl celebrates a year in charge

Ralph Hasenhuttl has now been in charge of Southampton for 43 matches in all competitions, winning 14, drawing 11 and losing 18

Ralph Hasenhuttl has now been in charge of Southampton for a full year after he replaced the sacked Mark Hughes on 5 December, 2018. Saints were 18th when the Austrian took over, and secured Premier League survival, finishing 16th in 2018-19.

Hasenhuttl gained his 14th win in 43 games in charge in all competitions with an impressive first-half display to continue Saints' revival which has seen them pick up seven points in three matches.

Ward-Prowse or Ings had scored all of the Saints' last 10 Premier League goals before this match - a run which started on 20 September - and the pair combined for the opener.

Ward Prowse's delivery from the free-kick was excellent and Ings got in between Kenny McLean and Ben Godfrey to glance a header in past Tim Krul.

The Dutchman did well to tip over Moussa Djenepo's well-struck effort from 25 yards, but it was not long before Norwich conceded again.

Once more, Canaries boss Daniel Farke will be unhappy with his side's defending as Bertrand was left unmarked to finish from close range after Long had flicked on a fine right-wing corner from the impressive Ward-Prowse.

Long, starting a league match for only the second time this season, nearly grabbed his first goal of the campaign but prodded an effort wide from 12 yards in the second half.

Ings was unlucky to not score his second and Southampton's third when he did well to control Nathan Redmond's pass on his chest and then, under pressure from two City defenders, volleyed just wide.

One concern for Hasenhuttl will be Saints again failed to keep a clean sheet and their tally of 33 goals conceded in 15 matches this season is the highest of any top-flight team.

Norwich continue to struggle on the road

Norwich had won their last away game - 2-0 at fellow strugglers Everton on 23 November - but were poor in the first half here and wasteful late on, this defeat meaning they have only picked up four points from eight away league games.

Before the game, Farke said his side "remained favourites for position 20" and, although they remain 19th in the table, are now four points behind 17th-placed Southampton.

Norwich had twice led against Arsenal in their previous match but did not threaten Alex McCarthy's goal at St Mary's Stadium in the first half, with a wayward McLean effort from 20 yards their only shot in the opening 45 minutes.

Teemu Pukki has scored eight goals for Norwich this season, half their Premier League tally

Farke made a double change at half-time - bringing on Marco Stipermann and Tettey for Tom Trybull and Ibrahim Amadou - and Pukki had an effort on target within seconds but McCarthy did well to push the 25-yard strike over the top.

Byram, without a competitive goal since December 2015 when he scored for Leeds against Nottingham Forest, also had a chance for the visitors but his weak shot was easily saved by McCarthy.

But Norwich grabbed a lifeline in the 65th minute when Tettey's fine through ball found Pukki and the Finnish striker scored for the second successive game after he had gone eight club matches without a goal.

Farke's side could have secured a point they barely deserved in injury time but both Buendia and Byram missed the target when they should have done better.

Man of the match - James Ward-Prowse (Southampton)

Both Southampton goals came following excellent set-piece deliveries from James Ward-Prowse. The midfielder also made 34 successful passes, nine crosses, had 77 touches and also made three clearances and two interceptions

Rare back-to-back success for Saints - the stats

Southampton have lost just one of their past 14 home games against Norwich in all competitions (won nine, drew four), winning the last four in a row.

Southampton claimed back-to-back league wins for the first time since March.

Saints are yet to keep a clean sheet at their own ground this season.

Danny Ings has scored in four successive league games - the first Southampton player to do so since Jay Rodriguez in March 2014.

Norwich have won just one away fixture in the Premier League this season.

Teemu Pukki, with eight goals, is the first Norwich player to score more than seven goals in a top-flight campaign since Grant Holt in 2012-13.

As well as scoring in back-to-back games for the first time since August, Pukki has netted his 22nd league goal of 2019; only Hull's Jarrod Bowen (24) and Leicester's Jamie Vardy (26) have scored more such goals within England's top four tiers this year.

Ryan Bertrand's goal was his first in 31 Premier League games since scoring against Leicester in August 2018.

Ings has now scored more Premier League goals in 15 appearances this season (eight) than he managed in 24 in 2018-19 (seven); only in 2014-15 (11) has he had a more prolific campaign in the competition.

'We showed a great reaction' - what they said

Southampton manager Ralph Hasenhuttl says his side showed aggression against Norwich

Southampton manager Ralph Hasenhuttl told BBC Sport: "It is clear we used a lot of energy in the first 70 minutes, until 2-1 it was a good game from us. They thought something was possible for them and in the last 15 minutes we were a bit tired.

"We knew when December came it was games we needed to take points from. There is still a lot of games to go, we have found a shape and a core and that helps us to play in an aggressive way and that's what the supporters like to see here.

"We have lifted ourselves from the relegation zone and you see how quickly things change but there is still a long way to go."

On Danny Ings, who has scored nine times in 10 matches, Hasenhuttl added: "He scores nearly every game, it is a massive run. I'm very happy with his fitness, last season he was always injured and he is really helping us."

Norwich boss Daniel Farke believes set-pieces cost them in their 2-1 loss to Southampton.

Norwich City boss Daniel Farke told BBC Sport: "We always have to be on our best level because in the first half it was not great from us. We said we had to stick to our principles, but conceded two goals from set-pieces and in the second half we went back to our principles.

"It was a really good reaction in the second half but it is important to play this way for 90 minutes. I would be concerned if we don't show any reaction, but we showed a great reaction. In the end we deserved at least a draw and had good chances but were unlucky we were not able to equalise.

"I'm a bit more annoyed in the first half we weren't brave enough. We need to stick to our plan, they did not play us out of the park, they didn't have chances in the first half apart from two set-pieces."

What's next?

Norwich, who have not won at home since beating Manchester City on 14 September, host Sheffield United on Sunday, 8 December (14:00 GMT), while Southampton play at Newcastle on the same day (14:00).