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 that would have taken them past the Premier League all-time low of 11 points that Derby suffered in 2007/08.
But no one gives away points like Southampton, and Matheus França’s late equalising header for Palace ensured Ivan Juric’s side remain bottom of the league on just 10. The wait to consign such petty, but not insignificant matters, goes on.
It was hard not to feel some element of sympathy for the hosts. After a nine-game Premier League losing streak at home, they at least salvaged a solitary point through Paul Onuachu’s early goal. A spirited performance could well have yielded more. Alas, victories are a rarity this term.
With a host of top-half opponents to come for Crystal Palace, thoughts of a European challenge (at least through the league) might be premature based on this outing that largely lacked bite. The FA Cup surely provides their best route after reaching the semi-finals last weekend.
Mathematically – albeit the numbers required do not tally with anything resembling the reality of their season – Southampton could yet retain their Premier League status. For a prolonged time after launching his salvage mission in December, Ivan Juric insisted that remained the target. His hopes have downgraded somewhat these days, and he this week simply challenged his players to prove they are not “the worst team in the history of the Premier League”.
Given such low aspirations, the consistently healthy St Mary’s numbers have made a stark contrast to the unpalatable fare that spectators have been forced to stomach.
There was a familiar sense of resignation among the lowest attendance for a league fixture this campaign when Palace came within an inch of taking the lead just 90 seconds after kick-off. Having turned his marker when picking up the ball near the halfway line, Jean-Philippe Mateta drove forward without any further attempt to dispossess him before crashing a shot against the crossbar from 20 yards.
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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 Paul Onuachu’s header to squirm its way in via Dean Henderson’s palm. A forgotten figure under Russell Martin, the goal – remarkably, the first Palace had conceded away from home since Christmas – was a precise reminder of the Nigerian’s allure that Juric is so keen on: a towering 6ft 7in presence to nod lofted balls in. Simple game sometimes.
Where Henderson’s hand had been weak, Aaron Ramsdale’s then remained strong soon before half-time, when he did brilliantly to prevent Mateta levelling from close range. No Premier League club have dropped more points after taking the lead than Southampton this season – including three in this reverse fixture in December – and concerns in the stands grew with Palace’s inevitable tempo increase early in the second half. Eberechi Eze dragged a shot wide, before Jack Stephens timed his slide to perfection to prevent Ismaïla Sarr a clear shooting chance inside the box. It took until the 92nd minute for the equaliser to come, when Jefferson Lerma’s cross was nodded in at the near post by substitute França. Ramsdale went ballistic and the Southampton fans sunk as another chance to win slipped by.