He survived atrocious runs of results. He survived his backroom staff being sacked. He survived losing 9-0 – twice. Somehow, Ralph Hasenhuttl forever seems to find a way of extending his stay.
This win was right on cue, coming at a time when Hasenhuttl’s neck was practically being primed for the guillotine. Perhaps these three points will see him survive the chop for now.
Southampton’s new owners Sport Republic are well reported to be looking at potential replacements, if and when they decide to go in a different direction to Hasenhuttl.
This win, lifting them out of the Premier League’s bottom three, will ease their concerns.
Che Adams’ first-half header settled it. Bournemouth tried their best to produce a comeback, like they did against Leicester and Nottingham Forest, but it is a first defeat for caretaker Gary O’Neil.
Hasenhuttl has proven his tactical nous against the bigger teams, like how Southampton did not lose to Manchester City, Manchester United and Tottenham at home or away last season.
But the Austrian has a habit of losing to lesser opposition, particularly the newly-promoted clubs.
Not this time, with Southampton's playing standing up for their boss.
O'Neil had gone unbeaten in his first six games in charge but in the ninth minute, Bournemouth found themselves trailing 1-0.
Romain Perraud’s cross found Adams, who nipped in front of Adam Smith to send a header into the far corner.
Bournemouth almost scored the leveller in the 30th minute when Philip Billing picked up the ball 25 yards from goal and had a go. Goalkeeper Gavin Bazunu got across to push it wide.
In the 35th minute, a foul on Marcus Tavernier by Duje Caleta-Car won Bournemouth a free-kick from 20 yards. Southampton’s set-piece specialist James Ward-Prowse would fancy his chances at the other end. Lewis Cook stepped up but blazed it over the crossbar.
Southampton had conceded at least once in each of their last 19 Premier League away games but at the break, they were halfway to their first clean sheet of the season.
You imagine O’Neil’s half-time team talk will have mentioned their last home game. Leicester had likewise taken an early lead, only for Bournemouth to score twice in the second half to win 2-1.
At the start of the second half, Marcos Senesi should have buried a free header from a corner. Bournemouth's big lad from the back knew it, too. His connection wasn’t clean and the ball flew wide.
The visitors were sitting deeper and deeper, setting up a tense final 20 minutes. ‘Calm down’ shouted Hasenhuttl towards his players from his technical area, sensing their nerves.
It was Bournemouth’s attack against Southampton’s defence, with Hasenhuttl’s men seizing any opportunities to kill some seconds.
Who could blame them? This was a team that had lost 15 of their last 22 Premier League games. Naturally they were desperate to see out this win.
In the 74th minute, Bournemouth’s Junior Stanislas crossed the ball but it was stopped by the arm of Mohammed Salisu. Cue cries for a penalty. VAR Peter Bankes studied it from Stockley Park, deciding Salisu’s arm was tucked behind his back and not in an unnatural position.
That infuriated Bournemouth as they continued to push for their late leveller. It wasn’t to be and Hasenhuttl got the win he needed, given the talk of what would have happened if he lost.