Apr 5, 2017 at 7.45pm UK at ​St Mary's Stadium
Attendance: 29,968
Southampton
3-1
Crystal Palace
Redmond (45'), Yoshida (84'), Ward-Prowse (85')
Romeu (71'), Soares (79')
FT(HT: 1-1)
Benteke (31')
Benteke (88')

Result: Late goals at Southampton put Crystal Palace back in trouble

Southampton's Dusan Tadic celebrates scoring against Watford on March 4, 2017
© SilverHub
Two late goals from Southampton help the Saints to a 3-1 victory over Crystal Palace.

Southampton have produced a grandstand finish in their Premier League clash with Crystal Palace, downing the Eagles 3-1 courtesy of two late goals.

The scoreline was tied at 1-1 until the 84th minute, when Maya Yoshida and James Ward-Prowse struck in quick succession to secure maximum points for the Saints.

Claude Puel's side were quick off the starting blocks and they gave their opponents an early scare when Shane Long blazed a shot just wide of the post in the opening minute.

The hosts remained on the front foot and looked odds on to break the deadlock minutes later when Ward-Prowse sent Long clean through on goal, only for the Irishman to scuff his effort wide.

Palace looked dangerous from set pieces and they fired a warning shot when Luka Milivojevic curled a free kick over the wall and clipped the outside of the post in the 13th minute, with a helpless Fraser Forster looking on.

Almost 20 minutes after nicking the woodwork, Palace hit Southampton on the break to take the lead, Christian Benteke turning Andros Townsend's ball home from close range to cap off a neat team move which also involved Wilfried Zaha and Jason Puncheon.

However, Southampton continued to dominate possession and that paid off on the stroke of half time when a Ward-Prowse cross from wide on the right was bundled into the bottom corner by Nathan Redmond.

The second half was a scrappy affair in which neither side looked capable of mustering a winner until Yoshida pounced on Jack Stephens's hoisted cross in the box to bundle the ball over the line and make it 2-1.

Palace were reeling after conceding late, but things got even worse for them as Ward-Prowse added a third one minute later, exchanging passes with Cedric Soares before shooting into the bottom corner to bury the Eagles.

The result brings Palace's run of four straight victories to an abrupt halt and puts Sam Allardyce's side back in relegation trouble, now sitting just three points above the dropzone.

Crystal Palace manager Alan Pardew looks on during his side's Premier League clash with Manchester City at Selhurst Park on November 19, 2016
Read Next:
Pardew: 'Player loyalty cost me Palace job'
>



You May Like
Recomended from Sports Mole
Tables
TeamPWDLFAGDPTS
1Chelsea31243465254075
2Tottenham HotspurSpurs31208364224268
3Liverpool32189568402863
4Manchester CityMan City31187660352561
5Manchester UnitedMan Utd301512346242257
6Arsenal30166861392254
7Everton32159857362154
8West Bromwich AlbionWest Brom32128123941-244
9Southampton30117123737040
10Watford31107143652-1637
11Leicester CityLeicester31106153951-1236
12Burnley32106163244-1236
13Stoke CityStoke3299143447-1336
14West Ham UnitedWest Ham32106164257-1536
15Bournemouth3298154559-1435
16Crystal Palace31104174250-834
17Hull City3286183364-3130
18Swansea CitySwansea3284203767-3028
19Middlesbrough31412152237-1524
20Sunderland3155212456-3220