Southampton vs Crystal Palace. Premier League.
St. Mary's StadiumAttendance30,309.
Match report and highlights as Crystal Palace record third straight win at the start of Roy Hodgson's second spell in charge to defeat Southampton; Ebere Eze scores both goals at St Mary's as Palace move nine points clear of danger; Saints four adrift
Sunday 16 April 2023 09:26, UK
Eberechi Eze believes Crystal Palace are playing with greater freedom since the return of Roy Hodgson following his match-winning display against Southampton at St Mary's.
Eze's second-half double earned the Eagles a 2-0 triumph and a third consecutive Premier League success under former England boss Hodgson to all but end the club's relegation concerns.
Palace were the last of the 92 teams in England's top four divisions to win a league game in 2023 but their struggles under Patrick Vieira are now a distant memory.
The 24-year-old had become a peripheral figure during the reign of Vieira, with his recall to Palace's starting XI coinciding with the team's upturn in form.
Playmaker Eze, who was signed from QPR by Hodgson in 2020, told the club website: "I think he has just given us the confidence in what we're good at. We know what we can do. We know what we're capable of, and he's given us the licence to go and do that.
"We're playing with a lot more freedom, more energy, and we're so much more positive, which is a huge credit to the gaffer coming in and helping us with that."
Eze was the star turn, converting from close range after Gavin Bazunu had parried Jordan Ayew's cross into his path to break the deadlock in the 54th minute.
If his first was instinctive, Eze's 68th-minute second was mesmeric as he collected Cheick Doucoure's pass and danced away from Moussa Djenepo before beating Bazunu from 25 yards to seal the victory.
The result moves Palace on to 36 points, a healthy nine clear of the relegation zone while Southampton look destined for the Championship on this evidence, still four points adrift of safety with seven games remaining.
"It feels like we have to play the perfect game to get the points," said Saints boss Ruben Selles, whose side suffered a 20th league defeat, a club-record for a 38-game Premier League campaign. "Every mistake we're making is getting punished very hard. We will keep fighting until the very end of the season."
"Southampton played with a lot of energy and intensity in the first half," said Hodgson. "They stretched our defending capacity to the hilt.
"But luckily, we got through that largely thanks to a back four that did a really good job under pressure. We tweaked a few things in the second half and it turned out to be enough thanks to Eze's two goals."
Palace had been floundering before Hodgson was coaxed back to the club for a second spell at Selhurst Park following Vieira's sacking. The Eagles were just three points clear of the bottom three, on a 12-match winless run and without a victory in 2023 when Hodgson returned.
Successive subsequent victories, including a stunning 5-1 victory at Leeds, sent them to the south coast six points clear of the bottom three.
They lacked the same fluency on display in those prior victories in the opening 45 minutes, with Michael Olise's disallowed goal - having been found by Jordan Ayew - as lively as it got from the visitors.
By contrast, Saints had shown signs of life. Joe Aribo, on his first start since New Year's Eve, ran onto Theo Walcott's pass from a clever James Ward-Prowse corner but lifted his shot over.
Walcott himself ought to have done much better when he sliced a finish against the outside of the post.
It all changed after the interval, with Palace being given a helping hand. There appeared little danger when Ayew collected the ball on the left flank but after his cross was grasped at by Bazunu, the lively Eze pounced and found the net.
The heads of those in red and white dropped and the hosts were punished by Eze midway through the second period. Djenepo was cooked by a simple drop of the shoulder to create the space but the finish was devastating, low and hard beyond Bazunu.
Southampton briefly staged a response as Carlos Alcaraz curled a shot against the inside of Sam Johnstone's post while the Palace goalkeeper preserved his clean sheet with a fine save to deny defender Armel Bella-Kotchap's thumping drive, but it was all from range.
Palace were not finished as Ayew passed up a glorious chance before Olise's free-kick mercifully clipped the post in stoppage time. Saints look doomed; Hodgson's red and blue army are on the march.
Southampton boss Ruben Selles:
"We're disappointed not to get anything from the game. We played well in the first half but we didn't match the same tempo in the second. We conceded the first goal and started to make some errors. After the second goal, we weren't able to come back.
"I saw a team in the first half that was together and we were trying to think quickly in situations but we then didn't match the tempo. When we are behind, we're then in a race and playing catch-up.
"Those are the stressful moments we have to manage better as a team. They show me every day [in training] and they show me how they can play. We just need to be more consistent in what we do.
On having a natural striker, Selles added: "No, I don't think it would make any difference. The way we arrive at chances doesn't indicate that we need a natural striker. Joe Aribo played as a striker in the final of the Europa League last year so that's why we chose him today to play in those spaces."
"I'm not frustrated [with the fans]. I just feel we need the support from them and in those situations in particular when there is nothing happening in the game, we need their support. They have their opinion and their voice. It's not been a good season for us and they can express that in the way they want. It was not frustration. I was just trying to get them behind us - nothing else."
Crystal Palace boss Roy Hodgson:
"All we do at half-time is remind people what we've agreed to do from the start. But goals change games. They put us in a commanding position and we were then capable of playing the football we wanted. We had opportunities to score two or three more. Had Southampton scored when they struck the post, it would've made for an exciting final 10 minutes which I could do without!"
"The back four were excellent throughout the game as well as the goalkeeper. Keeping a clean sheet gives us a platform as I wouldn't like to be playing against us going forward given the quality we have. It's a big strength that we have and we will continue to work on those strengths. With every point you get more comfortable as we're inching towards a total we feel is enough for us to stay in the league. We're not there yet.
"Our defending shape was much better in the second half. Their defenders had too much time in the first half and we played higher up in a more compact shape in the second period. They found it harder to find the gaps and when we got the ball back, there was more time for us. We've got players who can use that time on the ball after the first half had been a little bit frantic."
Sky Sports' Ben Grounds at St Mary's:
"Crystal Palace have spent the last 101 days since January 4 in 12th - not been higher than 10th or lower than 12th since October 14. But if they continue this blistering start under the old guard they could well reach the lofty heights of the top half before the season is out.
"Hodgson's sole task since replacing Vieira was to consolidate Palace's top-flight status and he has achieved that with flying colours and with seven games to spare.
"With five of their remaining Premier League games against teams below them, Palace can enjoy the final weeks of the campaign and in Eze they have a player who will be grabbing Gareth Southgate's attention.
"Hodgson spoke of his delight at the player's form heading into this encounter, believing the man he signed for £20m from QPR in August 2020 capable of forcing his way into the England reckoning.
"The 24-year-old has flourished since his manager's return to the club and his second goal here showcased his full repertoire, dropping opponents and ruthless in his execution.
"Eze was named in England's extended squad for Euro 2020 only to learn of his selection after rupturing his Achilles tendon in training. There is real quality and competition in his position, but he has every chance of featuring in Southgate's next squad if he keeps up his blistering form."
Crystal Palace's Ebere Eze scored a brace for the first time in his Premier League career. Indeed, in doing so he has also netted in consecutive Premier League appearances for the first time (vs Leeds & Southampton).
Next up for Southampton is a trip to the Emirates Stadium to face league leaders Arsenal on Friday April 21, live on Sky Sports; kick-off 8pm.
Meanwhile, Crystal Palace host Everton on Saturday April 22; kick-off 3pm.
April 21: Arsenal (A) - Premier League, kick-off 8pm, live on Sky Sports
April 27: Bournemouth (H) - Premier League, kick-off 7.45pm
April 30: Newcastle (A) - Premier League, kick-off 2pm
May 8: Nottingham Forest (A) - Premier League, kick-off 8pm, live on Sky Sports
May 13: Fulham (H) - Premier League, kick-off 3pm
May 20: Brighton (A) - Premier League, kick-off 3pm
May 28: Liverpool (H) - Premier League, kick-off 4.30pm
April 22: Everton (H) - Premier League, kick-off 3pm
April 25: Wolves (A) - Premier League, kick-off 7.30pm
April 29: West Ham (H) - Premier League, kick-off 12.30pm
May 6: Tottenham (A) - Premier League, kick-off 3pm
May 13: Bournemouth (H) - Premier League, kick-off 3pm
May 20: Fulham (A) - Premier League, kick-off 3pm
May 28: Nottingham Forest (H) - Premier League, kick-off 4.30pm
