Eberechi Eze double nudges sorry Southampton closer to the trapdoor

What would Rubén Sellés give to have had a similar reaction to the one Roy Hodgson has instigated at Crystal Palace? A third successive victory for the first time since the former England manager’s previous stint as manager courtesy of a virtuoso performance from Eberechi Eze virtually assured their Premier League status for another season and heaped more pressure on Southampton.

Now cut adrift at the bottom and without a win in six matches, even Sellés – the 39-year-old who followed in Hodgson’s footsteps during a spell as an assistant with Danish side FC Copenhagen before moving to St Mary’s in the summer – must acknowledge that his side look doomed. Despite restricting Palace to zero shots on target in a first half that they dominated, it was Southampton’s familiar failings in front of goal that cost them dearly once again as Eze was in the right place at the right time to give Palace the lead early in the second half before a dazzling solo effort from the England hopeful sealed the points.

Sellés insisted this week that his players possess the desire to mount a recovery despite their failure to record a victory since beating Leicester here at the start of March. But in the continued absence of Che Adams, who is not expected back until the end of the month after picking up a calf injury while with Scotland, the Spaniard’s decision to recall former Charlton forward Joe Aribo for his first start since New Year’s Eve instead of Paul Onuachu – the £16m striker signed in January –– could not improve on their poor home form that has yielded 10 points all season.

Riding high after their 5-1 destruction of Leeds last week, Palace have no such issues and Hodgson was able to bask in the glory of completing a top-flight double