What would Rubén Sellés give for 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.
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 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.
While 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, the Spaniard’s decision to recall former Charlton forward Joe Aribo for his first start since New Year’s Eve to lead the line backfired as they failed to improve on their poor home form that has yielded 10 points and 15 goals all season.
“As soon as we conceded the first goal we started to make errors,” admitted Sellés, who has picked up eight points from nine matches since taking over from Nathan Jones in February. “There are a lot of things that we can improve on but we will not make excuses – the players are creating chances but we need to be more relentless in front of goal.”
Riding high after their 5-1 destruction of Leeds last week and now nine points clear of the bottom three, Palace are looking up the table as Hodgson was able to bask in the glory of completing a top-flight double over Southampton for the first time since the 1980-81 campaign.
“If you compare where we were a month ago, then we are in a much better position,” said the Palace manager, whose side are now just three points behind Chelsea in 11th.
With all his experience, Hodgson will be aware that it could have been a very different story had Aribo not fired over from a good position after a well-worked corner routine in the 11th minute. The hosts should have made more of the opportunities that fell their way during a first half that promised much but ultimately delivered nothing. Only Theo Walcott will know how he failed to hit the target midway through the first half after Southampton had carved open the visitors’ defence, with his shot into the side netting jeered by the visiting supporters.
Sellés was out of his seat urging Southampton’s fans to get behind his players as they chased a breakthrough but he would have sensed their frustration growing as Palace’s defence stood firm.
Having flown out the traps at the start of the second half at Elland Road, Palace were quickly into their stride once more and took the lead nine minutes after the break. Eze was taunted by some Southampton fans when he fired a free kick way off target moments before but it was the 24-year-old who had the last laugh when he stabbed home the loose ball after Gavin Bazunu palmed Jordan Ayew’s cross straight into his path.
Selles threw on giant striker Paul Onuachu and Moussa Djenepo in an attempt to hit back, although the tide had already turned. Armel Bella-Kotchap was fortunate to escape serious injury when he landed awkwardly following a challenge with Eze but the Germany defender could not stop him scoring a second. Nothing seemed to be on when Marc Guéhi found Eze just outside the area, yet having executed a brilliant turn to leave Djenepo floundering, his shot from outside the area headed like a bullet into the far corner.
Alcaraz came closest to providing those Southampton fans who remained with something to shout about when his shot struck the post but there was an air of resignation in the air when the final whistle finally put them and Sellés out of their misery.
