By Victor Kanayo
Fulham on Saturday beat woeful Southampton 2-0 at St Mary’s in one of the English Premier League (EPL) matchday 35 clashes.
That defeat eventually sent Southampton also known as the Saints to the Championship.
The relegation which was long in coming, came 11 years after the Saints stay in the EPL.
Southampton Season Struggles
So far this season, Southampton have only got three points from the past 33 available, slipping into a freefall just as a number of their relegation rivals had begun to produce important and, in some cases, unexpected results.
Interestingly, one of Saints’ supporter and Prime Minister, Rishi Sunak, was among those in attendance the moment his club was sent packing.
Tortuous Previous Relegation Experience
Southampton’s previous absence from the Premier League, after relegation in 2005, lasted seven years and included a two-season dip into League One – both things they will hope to avoid this time.
Saints could take inspiration from Fulham, twice relegated from the top flight in the past four years but showing signs they can shed that yo-yo tag under Marco Silva.
This win lifted Fulham, last season’s Championship title-winners to ninth and all but assured the Cottagers a top-half finish, a deserved reward for the entertaining and attacking brand of football they have produced.
This was their 15th Premier League win of the campaign – a record high for the club, as was a seventh top-flight away victory, and they also equalled their highest goal tally of 52 from 2003-04 and 2004-05.
While Southampton were enduring a club-record 24th league loss of the season and failing to improve on their all-time low home haul of 10 points, from 54 available so far, Fulham were setting happier milestones.
Trebble Managers
Saints have been through three managers this season, starting with Ralph Hasenhuttl before he was sacked, with Nathan Jones appointed.
United Bounce Back
Meanwhile, Manchester United bounced back from consecutive Premier League defeats by beating Wolverhampton Wanderers 2-0 at Old Trafford to strengthen their bid for a top-four finish.
Erik ten Hag’s side had lost to Brighton and West Ham to give Liverpool – who were one point behind in fourth at the start of the day – hope of snatching a Champions League spot at their expense.
With the victory, the Red Devils moved four points clear of the Reds with three games remaining.
Chelsea, Forest Cutting Edge
Similarly, Nottingham Forest earned a potentially priceless point in their fight for Premier League survival in an entertaining 2-2 draw with Chelsea at Stamford Bridge with Nigeria’s Super Eagles forward Taiwo Awoniyi grabbing a brace for the former two-time European champions.
Raheem Sterling scored both goals for Chelsea, whose winless home run stretched to six games.
With the outcome of the match, Steve Cooper’s Forest team, however, ended a seven-game losing run on the road.
Earlier, Newcastle played out a 2-2 draw with Leeds United in an encounter that was full of drama.
