Southampton were relegated from the Premier League in record time after a 3-1 defeat to Tottenham on Sunday, sealing their brief and dismal stay in the top flight.
Brennan Johnson netted twice in the first half, and while Mateus Fernandes scored a late consolation goal, it was too little, too late to prevent Southampton from crashing back to the Championship. The defeat marked their 25th loss in 31 games, making them the first Premier League team to be relegated with seven matches still remaining.
Ipswich and Derby previously suffered relegation with six games to go, in the 1994-95 and 2007-08 seasons, respectively. However, Southampton still face the possibility of matching Derby’s record low Premier League points tally of just 11, as they remain one shy of that mark.
Under manager Ivan Juric, who was brought in after Russell Martin’s sacking in December, Southampton’s slide into the Championship was confirmed. Juric, whose team is winless in their last seven league matches, had admitted earlier in the week that avoiding the record low points total was the only remaining goal for the club.
The relegation was confirmed a mere 315 days after Southampton secured promotion by defeating Leeds in the Championship play-off final. The club’s promising season in the second tier, led by Martin’s attacking tactics, quickly unraveled in the top flight, with the strategy backfiring badly.
Martin’s sacking came after a 5-0 defeat to Tottenham left Southampton at the bottom of the table with just five points from 16 games. Juric was unable to turn things around, and now Southampton face a return to the second tier.
Meanwhile, Tottenham, who have been plagued by their own turmoil this season, managed to claim a much-needed 3-1 win. Despite ongoing protests from fans against chairman Daniel Levy, Tottenham’s under-fire manager Ange Postecoglou earned a brief reprieve, lifting his side to 13th place and offering some relief ahead of their Europa League quarter-final against Eintracht Frankfurt.
Tottenham took the lead in the 13th minute, with Johnson scoring his 15th goal of the season after a cut-back from Djed Spence. Southampton, who have yet to win a league game after conceding first this season, were quickly on the back foot. Johnson added a second in the 42nd minute, finishing coolly from James Maddison’s header.
Despite their relegation, Southampton fans in the stands maintained their sense of humor, chanting “Que sera, sera… we’re going to Coventry” as the final minutes ticked down.
In the dying moments, Fernandes scored a quality goal, controlling a ball and firing past Tottenham keeper Guglielmo Vicario. However, the match ended with no dramatic comeback. In the final play of the game, Wellington fouled Johnson, and Mathys Tel converted the ensuing penalty to seal Southampton’s fate.
AFP
