SAINTS were embarrassed at the Leicester City promotion party - prompting the Foxes fans to chant: "We want nine."

They had to settle for 5-0 against a hapless Saints outfit that managed to muster one meaningful attack all evening.

The Sky Sports cameras caught an Abdul Fatawu hattrick, with the first and last goals of the night, putting Saints to the sword. 

Wilfred Ndidi scored to make it two after the break while Jamie Vardy netted the fourth before assisting the treble scorer. 

The result put paid to any flimsy hopes of automatic promotion and will leave doubt in the minds of supporters ahead of the playoffs.

Manager Russell Martin made three changes to the team that was beaten 2-1 by Cardiff at the weekend, with two enforced by injuries.

James Bree and Joe Rothwell came in for Ryan Manning, who made the bench, and Stuart Armstrong, while Shea Charles was preferred to Will Smallbone. 

Saints were looking to avenge a 4-1 loss to Leicester back in September, and improve on a record that has seen them win only nine of 20 games against top-half opposition. 

However, it was one-way traffic during the first half in which Saints managed only one proper shot, and that was blocked clear. 

Ndidi curled wide of the far post in the closest effort for the Foxes before Adam Armstrong had that first attempt after 20 minutes.

Fatawu scored the opener in controversial fashion, as Wout Faes came from behind to take out Che Adams while getting nothing on the ball. 

From the counter, Fatawu was played in while occupying an offside position and finished beyond Alex McCarthy after 25 minutes. 

Martin was then forced into an early change, with Rothwell limping off for Smallbone before Saints went into the interval behind. 

Martin made two more changes on the hour mark with Saints only going close through an offside Armstrong latching onto an Adams ball.

Adams tried unsuccessfully to lob the keeper from 50 yards and the hosts scored on the next counter - Ndidi with a header.

Kyle Walker-Peters made little attempt to stop the cross, substitute Manning was beaten aerially and the effort went through McCarthy. 

Fatawu added the third with a brilliant curling effort around the diving McCarthy from the edge of the area to end the tie as a contest after 75 minutes. 

The Foxes were not done there, Fatawu delivering another fatal blow from out wide to hand Vardy a tap-in for a fourth.

Vardy returned the favour on a counter-attack to set Fatawu up for the hattrick two minutes later, leaving McCarthy no chance at the back post. 

Leicester City: Hermansen; Justin, Faes, Vestergaard (Coady, 87), Pereira (Choudhury, 64), Winks, Ndidi (Praet, 82), Fatawu (McAteer, 87), Dewsbury-Hall, Mavididi, Vardy (Daka, 82). 

Unused subs: Stolarczyk, Doyle, Cannon, Akgun.

Booked: Vestergaard.

Saints: McCarthy; Walker-Peters, Harwood-Bellis, Bednarek, Bree (Manning, 60); Charles, Aribo (Stephens, 83), Rothwell (Smallbone, 39); Brooks (Edozie, 60), A Armstrong, Adams (Fraser, 83). 

Unused subs: Lumley, Kamaldeen, Meghoma, Dibling. 

Referee: Robert Madley.