Sadio Mane scored the fastest hat-trick in Premier League history as Southampton demolished Aston Villa to keep their Europa League hopes alive. Mane’s three goals came in two minutes and 56 seconds with Saints 3-0 up inside 16 minutes. They were 5-1 up at half-time with two strikes from Shane Long, while Christian Benteke headed home his 15th goal of the season for Villa before Graziano Pelle’s late volley. The result means Southampton stay seventh with one game left and – despite the heavy defeat – Aston Villa sealed their Premier League safety after 18th-placed Hull lost. Saints felt they had an early goal wrongly disallowed when Pelle was flagged offside but it mattered little after three stunning minutes at St Mary’s. Mane side-footed home on 13 minutes after Shay Given’s initial save. He had his second when Long latched onto Ron Vlaar’s poor backpass and the Senegalese was on hand to stick it away into an empty net. He created history with a fine first-time side foot from just inside the box to seal his hat-trick and also beat Robbie Fowler’s 21-year record of four minutes 33 seconds for Liverpool in 1994. The goal prompted wild scenes at St Mary’s and there was more to come with Long curling home from 12 yards for 4-0. His second and Southampton’s fifth was a stunning strike from 40 yards that flew over Given and into the net. Villa had a consolation on the stroke of half time through Benteke’s header from close range in what was a breathless 45 minutes of football. Mane turned provider with 10 minutes remaining sending in a fierce low cross which Pelle thumped home from close range for 6-1. Saints end their season at Manchester City next weekend with Liverpool, Tottenham and Swansea also in the hunt for the two Europa League places. An Arsenal victory over Villa in the FA Cup final would also see seventh place earn entry into Europe. Villa host already-relegated Burnley on the final day of the season and their own Premier League status was be confirmed after Hull lost 2-0 to Tottenham on Saturday afternoon.