Fear not, Derby County fans, hope remains. As this game headed into injury time, it looked as though the indignity they have carried for 17 years and counting would remain, with Southampton eyeing a rare win to take them past Derby’s all-time Premier League low of 11 points.
But no team undo hard work like Southampton, and Matheus França’s late equalising header for Palace ensured Ivan Juric’s side remains bottom of the league, one point shy of Derby’s tally. The wait to consign such petty, but not insignificant matters, goes on.
After a nine-game league losing run at home, Paul Onuachu’s early goal at least ended the rot. A spirited performance could well have yielded more.
Alas, victories are in short supply this season, and they maintained their unwanted record of dropping more points after leading than any other Premier League club this season.
“I’m very proud with the way we played today and very disappointed that we didn’t win because I think we did almost everything good,” Juric said. “I’m really sorry for the fans and the guys because I think we deserved it.”
Juric’s challenge this week for his players to prove they are not “the worst team in the history of the Premier League” remains. Relegation could be confirmed as soon as this weekend.
França’s late nod spared Palace’s blushes against a team they would have hoped to breeze past. With a host of top-half opponents still to face, recent utterances of potentially mounting a European challenge through the league might have been premature. The FA Cup provides their best route, having booked a semi‑final spot last weekend.
“It’s a very good point, especially how the game was,” Oliver Glasner said. “It was tough, everybody could see it and feel it. We were not in our top level today. We were a little bit mentally tired.
“We missed a little bit, but I’m really pleased with the point today and proud of the group. We can’t take it for granted that we go everywhere and win.”
There was a familiar sense of resignation, among the lowest St Mary’s league attendance this campaign, when Jean-Philippe Mateta almost gave Palace the lead after 90 seconds when crashing a shot against the crossbar from range.
From then on, something rather strange happened: Southampton dominated. It was at the end of one of the hosts’ numerous slick flowing moves that the eye-catching Mateus Fernandes delivered a peach of a cross for Onuachu’s header to squirm its way in via Dean Henderson’s palm.
A forgotten figure under Russell Martin, the Nigerian’s goal – remarkably, the first Palace had conceded away from home since Christmas – was a reminder of his allure: a towering 6ft 7in presence to nod lofted balls in. Simple game sometimes.
Where Henderson’s hand had been weak, Aaron Ramsdale’s remained strong soon after when saving brilliantly to prevent Mateta levelling from close range.
The Southampton goalkeeper was the busier as the game wore on. Eberechi Eze dragged a shot wide, Ismaïla Sarr was denied by a fine last-ditch Jack Stephens slide tackle, and Eddie Nketiah almost latched on to an underhit backpass.
However, it took until the 92nd minute for the equaliser to come when França, on as a substitute, nodded in Jefferson Lerma’s cross at the near post.
Ramsdale went ballistic, the Southampton fans sunk and another chance to savour a Premier League victory slipped by.
